Cash agent fakes ₹9L robbery, held

GREATER NOIDA: A cash collection agent who claimed to have been robbed of ₹9 lakh cash two days ago in Greater Noida, was arrested on Sunday evening for faking the robbery and cheating his employer by hatching the plan in collusion with three others, officers said on Monday.

Police identified he agent as Santosh Kumar and said he did this to finance his “flamboyant lifestyle” as he was unable to pay the EMIS of his car, bike and iphones from his ₹25,000 monthly salary.

Police also arrested Kumar’s nephew Chandan (23), and friend Nitesh Sharma (26) -both residents of Kirti Nagar, Delhi, while another friend, Akash (28), is on the run.

On Friday, businessman Mudit (goes by first name), the owner of a plywood firm in Site-4 Greater Noida, reported to Beta-2 police that a cash agent, who collected ₹9 lakh from him, was robbed by two bike-borne men near his firm.

In his complaint, Mudit said Kumar was returning to Delhi with the cash around 11.30am when his car was stopped by two bike borne men who made off with the cash bag.

The alleged incident happened near a vehicle showroom in Site-4, said Ashok Kumar, additional deputy commissioner of police, Greater Noida.

“An FIR was filed against two unidentified men under section 392 (robbery) of the Indian Penal Code,” the officer said.

Kumar is an employee of Tekchand & Sons, wholesalers of plywood in Mongolpuri, Delhi. They provided plywood to the showroom in Greater Noida, and sent Kumar to collect cash, the ADCP said.

An inquiry revealed that the two bike-borne men had also fired in the air to “threaten” the cash agent. However, after interrogation of suspects, and scanning of footage from over 200 CCTV cameras, police arrested Kumar, Chandan, Nitesh and Akash on Sunday, said SM Khan, deputy commissioner of police, Greater Noida.

“About 15 days ago, Kumar and the others planned to fake a robbery. It was decided that the day Kumar is hired for a huge cash collection, they will execute the plan, and equally divide the loot,” said Khan.

“A sum of ₹1.5 lakh was recovered from the three suspects. After their arrest, when police took them to find the remaining ₹7.5 lakh and the gun, Chandan took out the weapon from the bushes and fired at police party. He was shot in the leg in the retaliatory fire,” said Khan.

“The suspects have been booked under charges of robbery (392), receiving stolen property (411) and criminal conspiracy (120B) of the Indian Penal Code. They were remanded in judicial custody on Monday,” said the ADCP.