Man arrested in West Bengal for Defence Colony heist

Ranjit, who was planning to buy a shop in Bengal and start a business using his share of the looted money, was apprehended from Diamond Harbour in Kolkata yesterday, Chhaya Sharma, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South), said.

With this, police have arrested 12 people and recovered around Rs 3.95 crore.

"He was planning to start a small shop and for his business, he hired a property agent for Rs one lakh to arrange a shop. He entered into a deal and had finalised a shop for Rs. 7.55 lakh. He paid the amount and got it registered in his name.

"Initially, he indulged in pick pocketing. Thereafter, he started committing robbery. He was released from jail in 2011 in a robbery case He wanted to spend life lavishly with his family. He came in contact with Hari Kishan, the kingpin, and joined him in robbery," Sharma said.

The gang had waylaid the cash van on September 28, pinned down a security guard and shot him after he tried to snatch their weapons. They fled the spot in the cash van leaving behind the car in which they were following the vehicle. The guard later succumbed to the bullet wound.

It was a raid at the main accused Hari Kishan's house in Khirki that helped the police. The key of the looted cash van was recovered in his house. Hari Kishan and his wife Rashmi were apprehended from Banda in UP on October three.

The first to be arrested was Deepak Sharma, brother of Hari Kishan, on September 29, a day after the heist.

Police on September 29 managed to identify the house which was believed to have been used by the suspects. It belonged to Hari Krishan who had shifted recently and purchased it in his wife's name.

Raids were conducted at this house and from there, police managed to recover the keys of the cash van, which was abandoned by the gang. Some other documents were also seized from the spot which indicated that the suspects had visited and stayed there.