The accused driver, Sher Ali Khan, 55, was arrested by Bangur Nagar police, near Raghuleela Mall in Kandivli (W).
Mumbai: A driver employed with a well-known logistic firm, Sisco Logisitics, sped away with the cash collecting van with Rs72.60 lakh in cash on Wednesday afternoon.
The accused driver, Sher Ali Khan, 55, was arrested by Bangur Nagar police, near Raghuleela Mall in Kandivli (W). Police have booked Khan under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code for robbery (392) and recovered the cash.
According to the police, on Wednesday noon, Khan was driving the cash van and was accompanied by the guard and cash collector, Rahul Khare. When the trio reached Mith Chowky near Link Road in Malad, Khare went on the first floor to collect the money, while Khan was sitting in the van with the guard.
Khan then told the security guard that he was hungry and wanted something to eat. The security guard refused to leave the van, but was forced by Khan as he persisted to be fed.
Around 12.40pm, when the guard went to buy snacks, Khan fled with the van. Khare and the guard on their return to the parking spot were shocked to see that there was no van, who then informed the company.
Police said, Khan, a Ghatkopar resident, had taken the van to Dahisar and abandoned it, while taking the cash with him. Khan then visited his daughter at Kandivali and had lunch there.
Khan’s daughter enquired with him about the reason for carrying such a huge amount, to which he said, the money was to be given to a party.
Meanwhile, the police and the logistics company was tracking Khan’s movements and formed three teams. They learnt that Khan was in Kandivali (W).
A police team accompanied by the logistics company reached Kandivali and caught hold of Khan near Raghuleela Mall, when he was in an autorickshaw, on his way to escape to Uttar Pradesh.
Mohan Dahikar, the deputy commissioner of police Zone 11 said, Khan was arrested and booked under relevant sections of the IPC for robbery (392). Khan will be produce in a court, while further probe is on, Dahikar said.
Khan told the police about the van’s location and the cash pick-up van was recovered. Police said, they have recovered the entire cash and belongings are being verified by the logistics company.