Robber gang led by cop busted, 5 held

KOLKATA: A 48-year-old assistant sub-inspector posted in Haroa police station in North 24-Parganas was arrested for allegedly masterminding a Rs 5-lakh robbery on Belghoria Expressway on August 30.
Police suspect that ASI Animesh Dey, the prime accused, and his four henchmen - Saifuddin Mondal, Mahammad Suleman, Kishore Dum and Karim Mondal - are involved in other similar cases.Police have also seized a Qualis car, a 'police' sticker pasted on its wind shield, which was used to rob two jewellers from Dum Dum.
All five accused have been remanded in police custody for five days after being produced in a Barrackpore court on Thursday afternoon. Police are also looking for three others involved in the crime.
The August 30 daylight robbery took place when two jewellers from Dum Dum's R N Guha Road, Nabin Das and Rishi Gupta, were lured into bringing money to buy gold cheap. While the duo was on their way to the rendezvous near CCR bridge in Belghoria on a motorbike, the accused travelling in the SUV blocked their way on Belghoria Expressway around 12.45pm.
"Some armed men got down from the car and snatched their bag containing Rs 5 lakh after holding them at gun point. Then the SUV sped away towards Howrah," an officer said. Later, the duo lodged a complaint with Belghoria police.
During a probe, the investigating officers of Barrackpore detective wing were shocked to find out the involvement of an ASI of North 24-Parganas police.
Police said that after committing the crime, the accused officer and other gang members had gone into hiding.
"Raids were being carried out at several areas when we came to that Dey had taken leave from work for a couple of weeks. Acting on a tip-off on Wednesday evening, a police team raided his residence at Nadia's Shimurali and arrested him," said a senior officer of the Barrackpore Commissionerate.
Police later arrested four others from Amdanga and Barasat and seized the car.
"We are investigating the case and trying to recover the booty. All the arrested persons were produced in the court and will be further interrogated in this connection. We are also looking for three others involved in the crime," said Ajay Thakur, detective chief of Barrackpore Commissionerate.
SP North 24-Parganas, Bhaskar Mukherjee, said proper action would be taken against the ASI.