Petrol bunk dacoits paid Rs 1.5 lakh to blackmailers

HYDERABAD: Two gym operators extracted Rs 1.5 lakh from the Bharat Petroleum petrol bunk staff who were involved in the loot of Rs 4 lakh at the fuel outlet at Athvelly near Medchal in December. They had blackmailed the conspirators by threatening to reveal their plan to the police.
Investigators who cracked the dacoity said that gym owners -G Venkat and G Bhaskar -had overheard the plan being hatched by petrol bunk supervisor Sanjeev Reddy and others at a mechanic shop owned by Chinna, who is also an accused in the case.
“The BP staff, who had reportedly embezzled several lakhs of rupees, felt that they either had to commit suicide or dacoity to avoid getting caught.The staff members went to meet Chinna to seek his help. While they were discussing the plan, Venkat and Bhaskar overheard them and evinced interest as they too were in need of money ,“ Cyberabad DCP (Balanagar) Y Sai Shekar said. According to police, City Armed Reserve (CAR) home guard Shankar Naik, gym owners Venkat and Bhaskar, BP staff Mahesh and Chinna went to Swapnalok complex to purchase masks and gloves for the dacoity. However, Venkat and Bhaskar backed out later. “The other conspirators executed the plan by roping in another staff member of the bunk, Nalla Raju. A day or two after the offence, Sanjeev Reddy and Chinna called up Venkat and Bhas kar to enquire about the dacoity. The gym owners refuted it and started their counter-offensive. Fearing that their role might get exposed, Sanjeev and Chinna paid Rs 1.5 lakh to the gym owners,“ the DCP said.
On Friday , the Medchal police arrested bunk manager Satyanarayana, supervisors Sanjeev Reddy, Nalla Raju, Santosh Kumar, Shankar, Bhaskar and Venkatesh. Police said it was Nalla Raju who removed the CCTV digital video recorder.