Ludhiana heist mastermind, her husband arrested in Uttarakhand

Ludhiana, June 17

After playing hide and seek with the Ludhiana police for several days, finally the mastermind in the Rs 8.49 crore robbery case, Mandeep alias Mona (29), was arrested along with her husband Jaswinder Singh (29) from Hemkund Sahib, Uttarakhand on Friday night.

Their accomplice Gaurav, alias Gulshan (19), has been arrested from Gidderbaha.

Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, Police Commissioner Mandeep Singh Sidhu said after the arrest of the accused, Rs 12 lakh was recovered from a scooter’s boot which was parked at the house of Jaswinder’s relative in Dirba while Rs 9 lakh was recovered from the house of Jaswinder at Barnala.

Rs 2 crore yet to be recovered

• Another suspect Gaurav, alias Gulshan, has been nabbed in Gidderbaha
• The police have recovered Rs 21 lakh on disclosure of the mastermind. Over Rs 2 crore still to be recovered

Armed robbers had decamped with Rs 8.49 crore from the office of CMS Securities, a cash management services company, on June 9-10 night after overpowering security guards.

The Police Commissioner said after committing the robbery, the couple had first stayed somewhere in Punjab and later they decided to visit Hemkund Sahib.

“Actually, the couple had planned that if they managed to commit robbery successfully, they would visit Hemkund Sahib to express thanks to the Almighty, while other accomplices had decided to visit Haridwar and Kedarnath. After getting a tip-off, a police team visited Uttarakhand. On Friday night, the police arrested the duo who were returning after paying obeisance at the shrine. Later, on their disclosure, Rs 21 lakh was recovered,” said the Police Commissioner.

Asked if Rs 21 lakh was the only cash the couple had, Sidhu said more recovery was likely to be made as over Rs 2 crore was yet to

be recovered.

Meanwhile, Sidhu said the CMS company which was told to give account of exact looted cash had submitted their official documents stating that Rs 8.49 crore figure mentioned by them in the FIR was correct.

In the case, so far police have recovered Rs 5.96 crore cash from the gang with the arrest of nine accused.

Sidhu said since the robbery exposed the negligent and lethargic security arrangements of the CMS company, he would send a letter to the Punjab DGP for the cancellation of company’s licence in Punjab. He said the police would recover the expenses, incurred by the police to catch the accused, from the company.