The police arrested six persons on Saturday for allegedly robbing `1.5 crore from a businessman by impersonating as income-tax officers. The accused have been identified as Sudhir Bhati, 26, Praveen Kumar, 32, Deepak Bhati, 26, Devender Tiwari, 33, Deepak Kumar, 35, and Jitender Negi, 30.
Devender Tiwari and Deepak Bhati are property dealers while Sudhir Bhati was the driver of the victim businessman.
The accused got inspired by the movie Special 26 and hatched the plan to rob Raghvendra Bansal, the police said. They posed as income tax officers and robbed `1.5 crore from Bansal on July 18 in Kotwali area here. The police has recovered `1.41 crore and two cars used in the crime from them.
“Our team received an input about three suspects Praveen, Deepak and Sudhir, all residents of Ghaziabad, being involved in the heist along with their associates Devender Tiwari and Deepak Kumar, both residents of Shakarpur area of east Delhi. Three accused Praveen, Deepak and Sudhir were nabbed from Shalimar Garden while Devender Tiwari, Deepak were nabbed from Shakarpur,” said a senior police officer.
During interrogation, Praveen revealed his involvement in robbing `1.5 crore along with Sudhir Bhati, Deepak Bhati, Devender Tiwari, Deepak Kumar and Jitender Negi. He further disclosed that his three associates were waiting at Sanjay Park, Shakarpur, in the house of Deepak.
The robbed money had already been distributed between the four main accused, including him. He confessed that he received `45 lakhs as his share. Deepak Bhati told the police that he got `30 lakhs as share.
“Sudhir Bhati was working as a driver with Raghvendra Bansal and he was the one who provided information about transportation of money of Bansal to his associates. Thereafter, the accused conspired and executed the crime by posing themselves as income tax officials,” the official added.
Devender Tiwari played the role of income tax officer and got `25 lakhs.
The accused took along Jitender Negi, a drunkard, promising a bottle of alcohol. Deepak also got very little amount. Jitender and Deepak were roped in only to increase the strength of the team.