No clean chit to IIFL employees, says CP

Nikhil Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, February 19

In the ongoing probe into the loot of 30-kg gold from the branch of India Infoline Finance Limited’s (IIFL), Gill Road, the Ludhiana Police Commissioner (CP) Rakesh Agrawal categorically stated that the role of company employees was very much under scanner.

“The police will not give any clean chit to employees of the IIFL till the time their role is not scanned completely. Questioning of employees is going on.” the CP said.

“The poor security system and no guard on the IFFL office premises is what bring the firm’s role under lens,” the CP added.

The entire looted gold was insured as informed by company officials, the CP said. If any negligence on the part of firm came to the fore, the company would not be spared, the CP added.

Even in the of 35-kg gold loot from the IIFL branch in Gujarat on January 9, 2020, similar shortcomings in the security system were noticed, the CP said. Had company officials taken the Gujarat-loot case seriously, they would have improved the security system, but not one bothered, the top cop quipped.

Sources said the police have also been scanning the call details of company employees to find if any of them connived with robbers or not. “The police have even taken dump of working phones at the time of robbery to get clue about suspects,” the sources added.

Separate teams were formed to conduct raids at suspected whereabouts of the suspects, the CP added. “We are working to solve the case and have certain clues. Let these clues mature and the case will be solved,” CP said.

When asked if robbers, who looted 30-kg gold from the IIFL were the same, who looted VK Jewellers in Ghumar Mandi, the CP added that so far in the police probe, no such angle had come to the fore.

The sources said the police today conducted raids at Dakha and other nearby areas to trace suspects, but did not get any breakthrough.