Mangaluru : Four persons from a cash logistics company Prosegur-Holdings, having offices pan-India, disappeared with huge amount of cash of Rs 7.5 crore during the transfer process from a bank’s currency chest in Mangaluru to its branch at Bengaluru.
The accused have been identified as driver of the vehicle transferring the cash Karibasava, custodian Parashurama and gunmen Poovanna and Basappa. One more person Bheemayya, brother of Poovanna is absconding from Bengaluru. Police are not certain about of the nature of his involvement in this case.
According to the case of breach of trust registered against the missing at Mangaluru City police station, the four persons had come in a Bolero vehicle to transfer Rs 7.5 crore from Axis bank branch at Yeyyadi to the same bank’s branch at Koramangala, Bengaluru.
The accused had arrived on Thursday at 8.30am at the bank’s currency chest and had taken the cash. The bank manager Ranjith on Thursday evening, after realizing the cash had not reached Bengaluru, lodged a complaint with the company’s local contact. The company in charge Sachin filed the complaint.
Meanwhile police said the empty van was found abandoned at Arasukallalli, Hunsur.
Sanjeev M Patil, DCP (Crime and Traffic) alleged that banks spent several crores on safety, but they this cash transfer vehicle carrying more Rs 7 crore cash had no GPS tracking. He also added preliminary investigation reveals that cash was transported haphazardly without any orderliness.
Police, who are investigating the case learnt that fifth person disappearing from Axis Bank, Bengaluru on Thursday is Bheemayya, who is the younger brother of Poovanna. These duo, in turn cousins of Basappa.
A statement from the bank stated that: “Our cash transfer systems and processes are robust and fully compliant with existing regulations. In this incident, the cash was being transferred by SIS Prosegur Holding Pvt Ltd, a Cash Transfer Agency and the amounts being transferred were fully insured. Neither the Van in question nor the staffs involved belong to the bank. The matter is being investigated by the Police and we are committed to providing whatever assistance as is required by the authorities towards this end.”
Considering this as importance of the case, Mangaluru Police have constituted a special team headed by N Shruthi, ACP (South). Police said that team consisting of 16 police personnel of different ranks have moved to three different directions.