4 arrested for looting 1 kg gold in Noida

The Noida Police has arrested four people for allegedly looting one kg of gold from the employees of a jewellery designing firm here and seized cash worth Rs 30 lakh from their possession, officials said Tuesday.

On May 20, two-bike borne assailants had looted a car which had the gold that was being transported from Divya Creations's office in Sector 82 to a jewellery showroom in Okhla when its occupants, the firm's employee and a driver, were overpowered by the duo at gunpoint, they said.

The two robbers, their third partner and a jeweller, who had purchased the looted gold from them were arrested Monday evening from Dadri town, Gautam Buddh Nagar Senior Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Krishna said.

"The car, a Maruti Ritz, was recovered soon after the incident when police chased the criminals but they had escaped with the looted gold on a motorcycle," he told reporters.

The accused were identified as Vikas Singh, Bhupendra Singh alias Goli, Israr, and jeweller Ashwini, he said, adding that the gold was sold for Rs 30 lakh to the jeweller in Dadri.

"Full amount of Rs 30 lakh has been recovered and around half (400 gm) of gold looted has also been recovered. One 32 mm pistol and a country-made pistol have also been recovered from the robbers," Krishna said.

"The case has been worked out in a week," he added.

Vikas Singh, who worked at a company located near the office of Divya Creations in Noida had hatched the conspiracy, the SSP said.

"He had got the details of this firm's outgoing supplies through the dispatch challans that were prepared at the gate no 1 exit for all vehicles going out of the Noida Special Economic Zone (NSEZ). He had procured details of products from the 'job work' registered there," Krishna said.

Vikas Singh had contacted his acquaintances Israr and Bhupendra Singh for the loot, the SSP said, adding that he had already informed Ashwini, who was his friend from school days, for selling the gold.

"Vikas Singh had reconnoitered the area well and taken all specifics on May 20 afternoon, before going behind the car that was looted at 4.30 pm on a motorcycle," he added.

A case was registered at the Noida Phase 2 police station on May 20 under Indian Penal Code Section 392 (robbery) and now charges under the Arms Act have also been pressed against them, police said.