Fedbank robbery: Cop Amalraj placed under suspension

CHENNAI: The latest development in the ongoing probe of 32 kg gold heist case that happened in a Bank in Arumbakkam is that, Kanchipuram DIG Sathyapriya has placed inspector Amalraj under suspension, after recovering 3.5 kg of gold from his house.

Amalraj, inspector of police, was been detained and is now suspended in connection with the gold robbery involved Rs 15 crore worth pledged gold ornaments.

Amalraj, who is working at the Acharapakkam police station, has been detained based on the revelations of suspects Santhosh and Balaji, who was arrested in connection with the gold heist at the Arumbakkam branch of Fedbank. Amalraj said to be a relative of Santhosh.

Meanwhile, the 5th metropolitan magistrate court in Egmore on Wednesday sent Santhosh and Balaji to five days’ police custody for detailed interrogation.

Police had already recovered 28kg of gold from the suspects. During questioning, Santhosh revealed that he had hidden the remaining portion of the stolen gold at Amalraj’s house. The officers rushed to the house of Amalraj and recovered 3.5kg of gold.

The cops questioned Amalraj to find out his role in the heist. They had also arrested main suspect Murugan on Monday and Surya on Tuesday.

Chennai police Commissioner, Shankar Jiwal said the suspects knew each other since school. Preliminary investigations revealed that the plan was made 10 days ago. “All of them are from the same neighbourhood. Some of them went to the same school, too,” Jiwal said.

On Saturday, at 3:30 pm, a gang of three men gained entry into the Federal Bank's financial service center on Razak Garden Road, Arumbakkam, by spiking the drink of the security guard. They, then, tied and gagged the manager, Suresh, to take away the locker keys. They decamped the bank after looting 32 kilograms of gold.