Four robberies involving nearly ₹ 3.02 crore from cash couriers of Gujarat-based spice and agricultural produce traders in Lucknow between May and October went largely unnoticed, with none attracting significant media attention. In each case, the complainants approached the police days after the incident.
He also allegedly negotiated a commission for the information and persuaded gang members that traders carrying large amounts of unaccounted cash would be reluctant to report robberies to the police. The six have been booked in connection with a case registered at Gomti Nagar police station. Investigators are now trying to establish the source of the information that enabled the gang to track large cash movements. The gang also allegedly made four to five unsuccessful attempts to target couriers near Dayal, Gwari and Shankar intersections.
The STF arrested alleged mastermind Dinesh Chandra Yadav alias Chhotu (23) and five associates on Saturday/Sunday night. It recovered ₹ 48.45 lakh allegedly looted in the robberies, an illegal pistol with two cartridges, a car, a motorcycle, seven mobile phones and documents belonging to victims. The arrested accused are Dinesh Chandra Yadav, Saurabh Yadav (25), Aman alias Raman Yadav (25), Saurabh Dixit (22), Mohit Kanojia (24) and Gyan Singh (25). Of the ₹ 48.45 lakh recovered, ₹ 12.50 lakh was seized from Dinesh, ₹ 10.90 lakh from Saurabh Yadav, ₹ 11.10 lakh from Aman, ₹ 5.75 lakh from Saurabh Dixit, ₹ 4.20 lakh from Kanojia and ₹ 4 lakh from Gyan Singh.
Because of police patrolling, heavy traffic and alertness among people in the area, it abandoned these attempts.
STF additional superintendent of police (ASP) Deepak Kumar Singh said Amrit Lal Pal provided the gang with details of potential targets, but investigators were yet to establish how he obtained information about large cash movements. Pal allegedly shared details of couriers travelling between Gujarat and Lucknow, including traders’ business locations, cash movements and scooter registration numbers, according to the STF.
