It stinks: Rs 3.5 crore stolen from KSPCB chief's son

BENGALURU: Four men, who committed a theft in a house, belonging to the son of Karnataka State Pollution Control Board Chairman Lakshman and escaped with cash Rs 3.5 crore, have been arrested by the Central Crime Branch police. They are on the lookout for three others.

The incident occurred in an apartment at Jai Munirao Circle on Magadi Road on August 29 night. Lakshman’s son Vinay, a land developer, had initially filed a complaint with the Kamakshipalya police, stating that Rs 5.5 lakh was stolen, raising questions whether it was black money. However, the police said Vinay was not aware of his managers had also kept Rs 3.5 crore in cash in the same almirah.

It is learnt that on August 29, Vinay had kept Rs 5.5 lakh in an almirah and gone on a business trip to another state. The same day, two of his managers, kept Rs 3.5 crore in the same almirah and went abroad.

As they were very close to Vinay, they were not updating him about the financial transactions on a daily basis. The theft came to light on August 30 when Vinay returned. He found the main door broken open and Rs 5.5 lakh stolen.

“He immediately filed a complaint stating that Rs 5.5 lakh was stolen. At that point, Vinay was not aware about the money that his managers had kept. He came to know about the theft of Rs 3.5 crore only after his managers returned on September 8,” an official said.

Earlier on September 2, the case was transferred to the CCB. When they analysed the footage recorded by CCTV cameras installed near the apartment, they found an auto rickshaw parking near the apartment and leaving in a hurry after a few minutes. Based on the registration number of the vehicle, the police picked up the driver Yogesh and during interrogation he who spilled the beans, which led to the arrest of four others.

The police later arrested Chetan, son of a police constable, Vasudev, son of a retired head constable, Punit, a resident of Magadi Road, and Choodamani, who worked in a shop next to the apartment.

“Choodamani had observed the movement of Vinay and his managers and knew at what time they usually came and left the flat. He hatched a plot to commit theft and discussed the plan with Yogesh. They roped in others and committed the theft,” the official said.

Though the accused confessed that they had committed theft and stolen over 3.5 crore, the police thought they were involved in other cases. “As the complainant himself had mentioned it was Rs 5.5 lakh, the interrogators tried to ascertain whether the accused were involved in other cases. The police got to know that Rs3.5 crore was stolen, only when the complainant approached them again after being informed by his managers,” the official added.

So far, the police have recovered Rs 1 crore from the accused. They are making efforts to nab three others and recover the remaining money.