Insider hatched IIFL gold robbery plot in Odisha, seven arrested

BHUBANESWAR/CUTTACK: The commissionerate police on Tuesday solved last week’s sensational crime involving the robbery of gold and cash worth nearly Rs 20 crore from IIFL, a non-banking financial company, in Cuttack.
Police said an employee of IIFL had masterminded the brazen robbery that occurred in the busy Nayasarak area on November 19.
Altogether seven persons, including the mastermind (an IIFL executive) and another lady employee of IIFL’s Nayasarak branch have been arrested.While around 39.5 kg gold was alleged robbed, the police have recovered about 2kg stolen gold.
Lala Amrit Ray, the IIFL executive, allegedly engineered the robbery plan with the help of his friend Ranjan Behera, a co-accused, police said. Amrit Ray, who has been working in the company for the past five years, was booked by Mangalabag police in Cuttack last year in connection with alleged misappropriation of gold in another company, where his elder brother Lala Ranjan Ray used to work. While Ranjan Ray was arrested that time, Amrit had managed to get bail. However, IIFL was unaware of Amrit's crime antecedent.
During investigation, the police came to know about Amrit’s previous crime record and zeroed in on him. Further interrogation unfolded his alleged complicity behind the crime.
Police said Amrit had been apprehending threat to his job as the company’s recent internal audit unearthed his alleged misappropriation of gold and cash in IIFL. He contacted his friend Ranjan, who subsequently hired four men to commit the dacoity. Amrit also took the help of a woman employee of IIFL to execute the robbery.
On November 19, Rajkishore Sahoo, Prakash Sahoo, Pradipta Behera and Santosh Bhoi barged into the IIFL office in the morning and held the staff at gunpoint before decamping with the articles.
“Our officers showed extremely professional prowess and solved this case, which initially had no clues. The company’s CCTV cameras, alarm system and digital locker were out of order. The lone security guard was on leave. I feel proud of my officers for showing competence and professionalism in cracking the difficult case. It is a big achievement against the backdrop of the detection of two bank robberies and an ATM loot case in Bhubaneswar,” commissioner of police (CP) Sudhanshu Sarangi said.
The CP said the suspected involvement of more employees of the IIFL behind the offence cannot be ruled out. “We are verifying the company’s inventory of gold and stock details,” Sarangi said.
Earlier, minister of state for home Dibya Shankar Mishra informed the state assembly about detection of the audacious gold robbery. DGP Abhay also appreciated the commissionerate police for solving the case within a week.