Patiala bank heist: 11 days after minor walked away with Rs 35L, cops recover Rs 33.5L

Tribune News Service

Patiala, August 14

Eleven days after an eight-year-old boy allegedly walked away with Rs 35 lakh from the SBI’s zonal branch at Shera Wala Gate, the Patiala police claimed to have cracked the case today.

Though none of the suspects directly involved in the crime was arrested, the cops recovered Rs 33.5 lakh, which the suspects managed to send to their house at Rajgarh, Madhya Pradesh.

Patiala SSP Deepak Pareek said the accused trio hails from Karhia village in Rajgarh district of Madhya Pradesh and a CIA team led by Shaminder Singh conducted a raid and recovered the booty.

Those involved in the crime have been identified as Ritesh, Krishan and Rajesh, who planned the heist and trained the child (identity not revealed). “While one suspect accompanied the child, another ensured that the money reaches the village safely,” said the SSP.

The police said the gang was infamous for pushing their children into crime and training them at a very young age. “Even if these children are arrested, they are tried under the Juvenile Justice Act and are out soon. Primarily they target marriage halls and even houses where functions are being held,” CIA in-charge Shaminder Singh said.

The SSP said after the crime, one of the accused ensured that the money reached the village. They avoid going back to their village for a few months, he said.

The incident took place on August 3 when the cashier had taken out the money from the SBI’s Shera Wala Gate Branch chest for loading it into an ATM. As he left the bag of cash unattended inside the cabin, a child walked inside and took away the bag.

Later, the CCTV footage showed that the child was allegedly accompanied by a man. Once they were out of the bank, they used an e-rickshaw to flee.

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