Three held for attack on bank CEO in Hyderabad

Police on Sunday said they have solved the mystery behind the firing on a bank CEO here with the arrest of three accused while the hunt is on for the fourth.

Police Commissioner Mahender Reddy announced the breakthrough in the case relating the December 18 attack on Manmath Dalai, CEO of KBS Local Area Bank.

The investigations revealed that the accused had hatched a conspiracy to commit robbery by collecting details of the bank CEO from his driver.

Dalai was injured when one of the assailants opened fire on him in his apartment in Shantinagar area in the heart of the city.

Police seized one country made pistol, 12 live rounds, one motor cycle and two mobile phones from the possession of the accused, identified as Shaik Abdul Raheem, Erva Naresh, M. Rajendar and M. Venkata Ratnam, hailing from different parts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

According to police commissioner, Raheem had gone to Dalai's apartment and told him that he is from Crime Branch. The Bank CEO asked him to show his identity card. The accused dodged the issue and demanded money. He then whipped out a pistol and fired one round on the wall. As Dalai and his wife ran towards bedroom, the assailant opened another round which hit Dalai in his thigh. The couple locked the room from inside and the assailant escaped.

Police had formed 10 teams to track down the accused and after searches in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, three of them were tracked down.

Naresh had an account in the bank and during a visit to draw money and asked to show his identity card, gave reference of his cousin Srihari, who was working as Dalai's driver.

The same day, the duo discussed about the recent demonetisation and involvement of bank managers in exchange of old currency and keeping huge new currency at their homes and consequently planned to commit a robbery at the CEO's house, said police.

--IANS

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