Moinudeen Abdul Sirajmiya Shaikh alias Mesu (35), one of the accused in the Bank of Baroda heist died in Taloja jail on Monday a year after his arrest.
“It was a natural death. We are told that he was suffering convulsions and loss of consciousness. Being a custodial death, his body was sent to JJ hospital for postmortem,” Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone I, Sudhakar Pathare said.
Mr. Shaikh, a resident of Wadala, was arrested from Kolkata on November 20, 2017 by Crime Branch unit II. He was the driver in the crime who also conducted the recce for the operation. He had helped his associates by waiting outside in a car and staying in touch with them continuously using ultra high frequency walkie talkies.
After robbing the bank, he and his two associates fled to Malegaon with 1.8 kg of gold and sold it to a jeweller, which was later recovered by police officials.
On November 13, 2017, when the bank opened after a weekend holiday, it was found that a 40-feet tunnel from shop number 7 to 5 that housed the locker room, had been dug by miscreants who made away with valuables worth ₹3.43 crore from 30 lockers.
Three at large
The crime was committed by 15 accused, of whom 11 were arrested a year ago and the 12th accused Sanjay Kambdi was arrested by Vasai police a month ago in another robbery case. Three more accused are wanted. The case is now being investigated by Assistant Commissioner of Police, Turbhe division, Amol Zende.
