Chennai: In the Chetpet bungalow heist of Rs 2 crore, the value of which is much higher than the loot in bank robberies reported in 2012, the City Police claimed to have solved the crime with the arrest of a trio including a former driver employed by the targeted family on Harrington road. The arrested trio is being brought to the city from Anthiyur in Erode district. They are identified as Siva aka Sivaraj (34), former driver and resident of Mangalapuram, Nungambakkam and his comrades-in-arms, Ekambaram (40), of Anthiyur and Murugesan (24) from
Sathyamangalam, Erode.
Investigations pointed to the role of insiders and the finger of suspicion fell on Siva, who worked as a driver for about a month last year for Meera Chari. He was not available for questioning and his paramour, who is also from the same locality, was found in possession of a few gold jewels. Subsequently, Siva was traced and arrested along with his accomplices. The couple, Meera Chari and Govinda Chari, have been holidaying in the US from June 19 while four guards from a private security agency - Ramdas, and Aruldas, both from Arakonam and Ravi and Nataraj, both from Avadi – were in charge pf security of the bungalow.
The heist came to light on Monday when the couple’s daughter Shriya Chari checked on the house. CCTV footage showed a trio gaining entry into the house through the fragile backdoor secured with a namesake lock, at around 1.20 am on July 10. All three had their heads covered with doormats and bundled up the valuables and cash left in the cupboards in the house. They operated for 30 minutes and decamped with the loot. Further inquiries revealed that Siva, who had learnt that the inmates were away, had come to the house to confirm it. The present driver Joseph Singh of Pammal may have tipped off Siva about the family’s absence and he is being quizzed in this regard.
Siva, who was facing a petty case, met serial offender Ekambaram at the Egmore court and the latter introduced Murugesan to him. Connected in this manner, the trio pulled off the joint heist. Valuables in gold and diamonds and cash Rs 15 lakhs were recovered intact from the trio.
