Day after liquor baron robbed, cops track cash

The Jalandhar police on Tuesday arrested Ram Kumar, the main accused in Monday’s looting of Rs 1.3 crore from the office of M/s Indian...

The Jalandhar police on Tuesday arrested Ram Kumar, the main accused in Monday’s looting of Rs 1.3 crore from the office of M/s Indian Wine Traders, belonging to liqour baron Ponty Chadha. Police also arrested Kumar’s wife, Geeta, and brother Govind, from the Jallianwala Bagh area in Amritsar. A sum of Rs 98,63,450 has been recovered.

Addressing mediapersons, DIG (Jalandhar Range) P.S. Gill, and SSP, Jalandhar, Ishwar Singh said that ‘‘when Kumar was caught, he was carrying a box containing Rs 28 lakh in cash. His interrogation led to the recovery of two bags full of currency (containing Rs 22 lakh) from the bushes near Sakattari Bagh in Amritsar. It also led police to his brother, Govind, who lives in Gali No. 4, Maqboolpura, Amritsar, and it was found that he was with Kumar at the time of the crime’’.

Govind’s interrogation led police to recover a bag containing Rs 48,63,450 in cash from his house. The three accused were arrested by Jalandhar Police.

On Monday, Kaushalender Singh Parmar, the cashier of M/s Indian Wine Traders Co. filed an FIR under Sections 457/380/328/34 of the IPC, alleging that on Monday morning when they arrived at the office, at Kothi No. 34-C, Ravinder Nagar, they found the bodyguard, Surinder Pal Singh, in a semi-conscious state. Later, Surinder alleged Ponty’s domestic help Ram Kumar, from Nepal, had allegedly served him tea mixed with an intoxicant. Ram Kumar then ‘‘broke open the steel almirah and stole over Rs 1.03 crore in cash,’’ he said.

Ram Kumar first transported the loot on a cycle-rickshaw, later switching to an auto-rickshaw, police sources said, adding that the auto-rickshaw driver was also being questioned.

Kumar, during his interrogation, told police he had been planning the theft for the past three months as he knew that a big amount of money was lying in the safe. ‘‘At first, Kumar decided to steal half the amount in the safe, but he became greedy and stole the entire amount as he wanted to lead a luxurious life in Nepal,’’ police sources said.

Despite the recoveries of cash by the police, Rs 5 lakh is still missing.