Friend-turned-foe masterminds Rs 20 lakh heist; Bhubaneswar Police crack case

Bhubaneswar police on Wednesday arrested two persons, including the complainant’s close friend, for allegedly plotting and executing a Rs 20 lakh robbery near the Pahala area.

According to sources, the case was registered after the complainant, Prabhat Kumar, sustained injuries in an attack involving a sword during the incident. The arrested individuals are Saroj Sutar and Babulu Behera, while other associates involved in the crime remain at large.

Sequence Leading Up to the Robbery

Police informed that Prabhat had withdrawn Rs 20 lakh sourced as a loan from another acquaintance on November 24.

Saroj Sutar, who accompanied him at the time of collection, allegedly conspired with his associates to seize the entire amount. Police said Saroj arranged to stop Prabhat near Jalsa Bar under the pretext of drinking tea.

As per the pre-planned arrangement, two vehicles carrying Saroj’s associates arrived at the spot while the two were seated. The group then allegedly attacked Prabhat with a sword and fled with the entire Rs 20 lakh.

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How Police Detected the Inside Role

Despite accompanying the complainant to the police station after the assault, Saroj’s statements raised inconsistencies. Investigators conducted a detailed review of CCTV footage from the area and examined the call detail records (CDRs) of the accused.

The footage and mobile-location patterns reportedly contradicted Saroj’s claims and indicated coordinated movement with the attackers. Following verification, police named him the key conspirator in the robbery plot and detained him for interrogation.

Recoveries and Evidence Seized

Sources said that police have seized Rs 5.70 lakh in cash from the arrested accused, along with the sword used in the attack and a sports motorcycle allegedly deployed during the robbery. 

Multiple CCTV frames showing the presence of the vehicles involved in the crime scene have been included as evidence. The Jalsa Bar stretch, identified as the crime location, also had functional surveillance cameras, which aided reconstruction of the sequence.

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Ongoing Search for Other Accused

Pahala police said several members of the robbery group are absconding. Raids are underway at multiple locations to trace and arrest the remaining suspects. A formal case of dacoity has been registered, and further recoveries are expected as the search expands.

The investigation is continuing under Pahala police limits, with search operations focused on tracking the vehicles used in the robbery and the remaining stolen cash.