Two held for misappropriating over ₹4 cr.

Accused, including custodian of cash van, arrested from Uttar Pradesh: police

Two persons, including custodian of a cash van, have been arrested for allegedly misappropriating ₹4.04 crore, the police said on Wednesday. They said that ₹3.6 crore have been recovered.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Jasmeet Singh said that the accused have been identified as Dharmesh and his accomplice Ajay. Dharmesh used to work as a custodian of a cash van with a Noida-based firm which used to provide door-to-door banking facilities to its customers.

The police said they were informed that on November 11, Dharmesh was deputed by his company to deposit ₹4,04,84,084 in a private bank. “The company sent Dharmesh as the custodian in a cash van along with driver Jaspal Singh and gunman Vinod Singh,” Mr. Singh said.

However, Dharmesh used his own scooty to reach the bank in Mayur Vihar where the van staff handed him the iron box filled with cash right outside the bank after which he left to finish the task assigned to him. The accused instead of depositing the money in the bank, fled with the cash. A case was then registered.

During investigation, CCTV footage was obtained and examined which showed Dharmesh and his accomplice, later identified as Ajay, riding a scooty till Usmanpur. The police found that the two were absconding from their respective residences.

With the help of human and technical intelligence, they were arrested from Uttar Pradesh’s Mainpuri where the two had rented a room to hide, the police said.

During interrogation, the police said, it was revealed that prime accused Dharmesh hatched the plan after the plot of a crime show on the television caught his attention.

“Dharmesh knew that his office did not keep a track of custodians of cash. Also, the staff of the cash van did not insist the custodian to sit in the van. This was not the first time that Dharmesh had used his own scooty to travel from his office to the bank,” Mr. Singh said.

On the day of the incident, he had bought two bags, picked up Ajay from Usmanpur and dropped him near his office. He took the cash and then picked Ajay to drop him near the bank. The two then fled with the cash.