Three parking lot assistants nabbed in Rs 45 lakh Marine Drive robbery

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Thursday arrested three parking lot attendants for Tuesday’s Rs 45 lakh robbery at Marine Drive. The police have recovered Rs 38.50 lakh from the three.
Acting on a tip-off that a gang involved in illegal weapons was likely to assemble at Wadi Bunder area, the Kalachowkie unit of the ATS, led by inspector Dinesh Kadam, laid a trap and arrested the three—Mohammed Qurban Raja alias Mubarak Shaikh (22), Mritunja Narayan alias Mithun (31) and Sayyed Ali Abdul Kadar (32).
Four weapons—one 9mm pistol, a .32 revolver, an 8mm hand gun and a toy gun that was used in the robbery—were recovered from the three. The three accused have been remanded in police custody under Arms Act till October 30, the police are still looking for one more accused, who is believed to have the remaining Rs 6.50 lakh.
“All the accused work as parking lot attendants with a private firm in Wadi Bunder. We have just arrested them and are interrogating them to know whether any insider had tipped them off about the cash being ferried in the taxi and from where and for what did they buy this unlicensed weapons,” said ATS chief Rakesh Maria. On how the ATS landed up arresting the robbers, Maria said that his team was working purely on the information received on illegal weapons.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that Mubarak Shaikh was the gang leader who hatched the conspiracy. The police are now trying to figure out whether any of the accused has criminal background and how long had they been working as parking lot assistants, said investigating officer Ninad Sawant. The police will now go through the CCTV footage from the areas near crime spot.
On Tuesday, around 10.30am, Madhukar Bhagne (45) and Ratnesh Rai (27),both employed with the NIBR Bullion Pvt Ltd, hired a cab from Hotel Surti, near their office in Mittal Court Building. Bhagne and Rai were on their way to deposit Rs 45 lakh cash and a few cheques at a Saraswat Bank branch in Marine Lines. The taxi in which Bhagne and Rai were travelling was stopped on the Meghdoot flyover diversion at Marine Lines by four men on motorcycles. The accused then snatched the bag containing the cash at gunpoint. The robbers also took away the taxi keys to ensure that the victims do not chase them. The accused had covered their faces with handkerchief. Bhagne and Rai returned to their office and reported the matter. Initially, cops suspected the victims as there were discrepancies in their statements.