Chennai: A mysterious robbery, in which Rs 25 lakh of demonetised currency lost to a quartet toting knife, was reported in the city. However, the cops are tight-lipped as to whom the money belongs to.
The incident which initially came to light when Shastri Nagar police patrol team spotted the State Bank of Mysore branch located in Shastri Nagar I Avenue, open late into the night. Investigations revealed that the bank’s cashier Ilangovan had lost the money when he took it from the branch to a private bank branch in Nanganallur at around 8 pm.
Sakthivel drove Ilangovan’s car along Old Pallavaram Road off GST Road when the incident took place. The duo claimed that a quartet that came in two bikes intercepted the car, and snatched the cash at knifepoint before fleeing the spot.
Shastri Nagar police alerted Pallavaram police about the crime. As the duo did not specify the exact location, cops grew suspicious over the entire episode.
The questions as to whom the money belonged, and why it was being taken to a private bank from a nationalised bank, were raked up.
The cops also collected all available footage from the spot where it took place. Cops suspect insiders work in the entire robbery since the movement of cash was known only to a handful of employees at the bank.
Senior police officers at the Adyar DCP office quizzed Ilangovan and Sakthivel. A few other employees were also interrogated in connection with the robbery.
Sources indicated that the cash lost could have been taken in exchange for a premium. However, there were no means to confirm the same. Cops confirmed the robbed currency as demonetised, though.
Cops are also trying to ascertain whether there was any reason tied to choosing the route. Sources also indicated that the income tax sleuths had evinced interest about the high-volume transaction. Further investigations are on.
