Fedbank heist accused out on bail pose as cops and rob man

CHENNAI: Exactly a year ago, they were arrested for their involvement in the daylight heist at Fedbank in Arumbakkam. Out on bail, they got involved in another brazen act and landed in the police net again. This time, they posed as policemen and robbed money from a man who was carrying Rs 3.36 lakh cash.

The arrested persons were identified as V Balaji (30) of and M Santhosh Kumar (31) of Villivakkam. The duo were the first arrests made in the Fedbank heist case too.

On August 12, the duo had trailed Prabhakar Rao (44), staff in a private firm who was carrying cash from his officer. Intercepting Prabhakar's two-wheeler near Shenoy Nagar, the two of them identified themselves as policemen and told that they had to check his bag. Though they were not wearing fake uniforms, they had a 'Police' sticker on their two wheeler and were speaking with authority, which made the victim believe their act.

The duo took the cash and told Prabhakar to collect it after producing proper documents. Only on reaching the police station, Prabhakar realised he was conned after which he filed a complaint with Anna Nagar police station.

After perusing CCTV footage in the neighborhood, police zeroed in on the suspects and arrested them. They were produced before a magistrate and remanded to judicial custody.

Police recovered Rs 1 lakh from them. "The two were recently out on bail. Balaji was the one who arranged a car for the escape of those who carried out the Fedbank heist, " a police officer said.

In August last year, a staff of Fedbank, Murugan along with his childhood friends orchestrated the heist at the Arumbakkam branch of Fedbank, a non-banking financial firm, a subsidiary of Federal Bank, disbursing gold loans. More than 30 kg of gold jewellery was stolen by the gang. All the accused including a police Inspector were arrested by the Arumbakkam police.