The June 20 robbery at a finance firm in Pasumpon Nagar near Palanganatham, from where two armed robbers allegedly looted gold ornaments and silverware after attacking its manager E.Duraipandi, was stage managed by the manager, his advocate friend and four others.
The city police on Wednesday displayed around 3.5 kg of gold jewels and 6 kg of silver articles that were recovered from the accused. The police have arrested Duraipandi, Advocate Ganesan and Balamurugan alias Murugan, and are on the lookout for three others.
Duraipandi, who hailed from Sholavandan, had helped Ganesan of the same area to pursue his law degree. It was Ganesan who planned the hoax. The gold jewels and silver articles were kept packed in a sack and handed over to their accomplices — Balamurugan alias Murugan and Sakthi — and not robbed at knifepoint as claimed by Duraipandi, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) R.Tamil Chandran.
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Ganesan had told Duraipandi that no one would suspect him as he had been working in the finance company for the past 13 years, Assistant Commissioner of Police V.Malaichamy said.
Ganesan roped in his client Balamurugan, who was involved in several theft cases, his friend Sakthi, and two others to enact the robbery, while two other accomplices kept vigil outside.
Suspecting the claims of Duraipandi, the police checked his call log which revealed that he had frequently spoken to Ganesan before the incident. “The injuries on Duraipandi were self-inflicted,” Mr. Chandran said. The hard disc of the closed circuit television network at the finance company had been damaged by the gang, he added.
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The stolen items were valued at Rs.97.94 lakh, the police said.