Manappuram theft case: 2 more arrested

The Crime Branch of the Pune police on Monday arrested two more persons in connection with the theft of 17.5 kg gold worth Rs 5 crore and Rs 6.64 lakh cash from the office of Manappuram Gold Loans in Bhavani Peth last week.

The Crime Branch of the Pune police on Monday arrested two more persons in connection with the theft of 17.5 kg gold worth Rs 5 crore and Rs 6.64 lakh cash from the office of Manappuram Gold Loans in Bhavani Peth last week.

The suspects have been identified as Nitin,alias Gotya Sahebrao Gaikwad,(27) of Saswad and Anik,alias Bablu Mohammed Ambekari,(28) of Karad. Police had earlier arrested Somnath Raghu Waghapure (26),assistant regional manager of Manappuram Gold Loans along with Tejit Rajaram Bhosale (31). All four suspects are natives of Purandar taluka. They knew one another and carried out the theft allegedly masterminded by Waghapure,who has done a post graduate diploma in business management (PGDBM) from London. A complaint was lodged by Vidyadhar Sathe (28),manager of the finance firm.

At a press meet on Monday,Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) A D Shinde said suspect Ambekari is believed to have arranged the duplicate keys for the theft. While Waghapure and Bhosale were arrested on April 19,Ambekari and Gaikwad were on the run. Together they went to different places in Sangli,Kolhapur and Solapur before being arrested in Daund.

On Monday,the duo were produced in a magistrate court which remanded them in police custody till May 2. Police have so far recovered 17,410 gm of gold and Rs 3 lakh cash from them.

Investigations revealed that Waghapure had taken his share of Rs 3.3 lakh and the rest of the money has been shared by other suspects. Police suspect that Gaikwad and Ambekari have Rs 2.5 lakh with them which is yet to be recovered.

The theft took place around 7.30 pm on April 17. Police said that CCTV cameras in the office were closed during the theft and duplicate keys were used for opening the office door and cash box.

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