Even though the national Capital had been sealed, the investigators in the Rs 22.5-crore heist feared that the accused driver may make his way out of the city.
However, luck worked in the police’s favour through the 12 hours of investigation. Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi has announced a reward of Rs. 2 lakh for the policemen who played a prominent role in the probe.
But had things gone as planned by accused Pradeep Shukla, he would have left with the cash, his wife and three children before midnight.
But as fate would have it, he did not find his wife Shashikala and their three children at home. “After dropping the cash boxes at a godown in Okhla, he rushed to his home in nearby Harkesh Nagar. But the family had left for the market when he reached,” said a senior police officer.
Having disposed of his mobile phone to avoid detection, Shukla had earlier used a landline phone to call his wife, but found the phone was switched off.
Despite his identity being revealed on television, he risked a visit home. Also, he asked an unsuspecting neighbour to inform his wife that he would return.
With or without his family, Shukla seemed to have planned an escape from the city.
“He would have filled the cash into sacks for easy transportation. Since he was a driver, it would be easy for him to rent a vehicle and escape. But since he was unable to meet his family, he was delayed,” said an investigator.
Police, meanwhile, are trying to ascertain if it was a well-planned conspiracy or an impromptu heist.
“Since there were nine large boxes, we believe it would be difficult to escape had it been just the driver behind it all,” said R S Krishnia, Joint CP (South-Eastern Range).
A team was dispatched to the address available with Shukla’s employers, while another left for his hometown in Balia in Uttar Pradesh.
Other police teams worked on different directions.
His father, who the police spoke to at the address provided by him, said Shukla did not live there. He was reportedly unaware of where his son lived.
Another address procured from his references failed to help as Shukla had vacated the accommodation six months ago.
When his present address was finally traced, only his wife and children were there.
Neighbours, however, said they had seen him earlier in the evening.
The GPS system installed in the cash van, meanwhile, pointed to a detour in the route. This observation led the police, who were armed with Shukla’s photograph, to Okhla Phase-3.
“We showed his photos to many people in the area until a tea seller, Ajay, said he had seen him in the locality. As we walked through the streets, we came across a godown with lights on inside. The driver was found sitting inside with the cash boxes. He was nabbed immediately,” said an officer.
