Bargarh: Four persons including three police officials were arrested on Tuesday on charges of looting Rs 4.5 lakh from a businessman in the district. The businessman Nandalal Prasad had registered a complaint with the Sadar police station on Monday.
The arrested cops Saroj Kumar Seth, Bipin Bihari Bedbak, and Sadananda Pradhan were manning the PCR van while the fourth accused Jay Prakash Gupta was the informer. Gupta knew about the money the businessman was carrying and had informed the other three accused about his movements, informed Bargarh SP Mukesh Kumar Bhamoo at a press conference on Tuesday.
The loot amount of Rs 4.5 lakh has been seized from the accused, stated the SP, adding, "after getting information, the three cops intercepted Nandalal near Bhatli Chhak here and took away the money."
On the day of the incident, Nandalal had narrated his ordeal stating that he was travelling from Paikamal to Sambalpur when four cops in a PCR van overtook the bus and asked the bus driver to stop. They asked the bus conductor about his presence in the bus and later walked up to him. They searched his bag and took all the money from him before taking him to the police station, the businessman had stated in his complaint. Nandalal was however assured that the money will be returned to him later. But since he did not get back his money he had lodged an FIR.
All the four accused have been court forwarded after their bail petitions were rejected.