Gold merchant behind gold heist: Police

HYDERABAD: An eye-witness account of the sensational robbery which unfolded close to Abids police station on Tuesday night, has led investigators to the door-step of a gold merchant from Mahankali area. He was picked up on Wednesday morning and presently being interrogated.

It must be noted that two Mumbai-based brothers, Rakesh and Sonu Sakaria were robbed of 5 kg gold on Tuesday evening, while paying visits to jewellery stores in the Old City. They had gone to a jeweller in Gunfoundry and were about to board an auto around 8.30 p.m, when a gang of four youth pounced upon them, hit Rakesh and snatched the rexine bag which contained the gold.

Meanwhile, the youngsters are said to be on the run. While two belong to Maharashtra, the remaining two hail from Rajasthan. Sources associated with the investigation told that a gold merchant Shabari Prasad Vyas was picked up from Mahankali, after it came to light that one motorcycle on which the offence was committed, belonged to him.

An eye-witness told police he had managed to see the number (AP-2406) on one of the motorcycles. Though the number was incomplete, the sleuths worked out on the clue which led them to Vyas. Enquiries also revealed he was known to buy stolen gold. After committing the robbery, two of the accused reportedly handed over one kg gold to Vyas and took away the remaining booty.

'He was not present at the scene when the offence was committed but was involved in the planning. He was in constant touch with the four accused over mobile,' they said.

During interrogation, Vyas disclosed the four accused, identified as Rakesh, Srinivas, Deepak and Chintu- had committed two similar offences earlier but failed to throw more light on the particular cases. Police suspect one could be where a person was robbed of 2.1 kg gold near the GPO in Abids recently.

'Vyas was actually the receiver of the stolen gold. Earlier, the four accused had handed over half kg gold twice but he was not part of those operations. Once they are nabbed, it will be known which were the two offences,' sources said.

It is learnt that Vyas used to provide logistics to the accused including motorcycles and mobile phones. After receiving the stolen gold, Vyas would also dispose off the gold. Sources further said two accused have already left Hyderabad and reportedly gone to Mumbai.

A police team left for Mumbai this morning. 'Its only a matter of time,' an investigator said, when asked when the four are likely to be nabbed. Police officials are in constant touch with their counterparts in Maharashtra and Rajasthan to know whether the accused committed similar offences in those states.

Following the incident, the second of its kind in Abids in less than a month, Abids inspector K Shiva Kumar was placed under suspension and Abids assistant commissioner of police PVG Vijay Kumar issued a charge memo.

'Business rivals abetting thefts'

Some jewellery shop-owners, with an intention to weaken their competitors are deliberately engaging some persons to commit thefts in latter's shops, city police commissioner AK Khan said on Wednesday. Khan convened a meeting with jewellery shop owners association in the backdrop of the robbery at Abids on Tuesday night.