Indore: Three individuals, including a former serviceman, have been apprehended in connection with the robbery of approximately Rs 30 lakh from an employee of a scrap trader. The incident occurred on June 11 when Mukul Agrawal, residing in Ramdutt Nagar Extension on AB Road, was collecting payments from various businesses for his uncle Rakesh Goyal's scrap enterprise.
After gathering Rs 29.65 lakh from multiple locations, Agrawal placed the cash in a blue bag and was traveling on his two-wheeler around 8:25 pm when two men on a white two-wheeler intercepted him near Jayakwadi Dharamshala in Pardeshipura. They assaulted him and fled with the bag containing the money.
Police Commissioner Santosh Kumar Singh stated that eight specialized teams were formed under Additional DCP Dishesh Agarwal. Inspector Satish Patel reported that authorities analyzed footage from over 800 CCTV cameras and employed technical surveillance along with field intelligence to identify the suspicious white two-wheeler, which was fitted with a fake number plate.
Investigation revealed that the vehicle had been sold but ownership was never transferred. The accused had conducted reconnaissance and began following the victim from the first payment collection point.
The prime accused, Chandrashekhar alias Chandu Soni, 43, a resident of Salmabad village in Dewas district and a retired serviceman who worked with another scrap trader, was familiar with cash movements in the business. Police said mounting financial difficulties after losses in cricket betting and cryptocurrency trading drove him to plan the robbery.
Chandu had previously operated a security agency in Goa, where he met Praveen Bhandari. They remained in touch after moving to Indore and later conspired to commit the crime. Chandu enlisted Praveen Bhandari and Amar alias Manga Ahirwar, and the trio tracked the victim throughout his collection route before striking when an opportunity arose.
Police said Praveen arranged a fake number plate and, along with Amar, executed the robbery. After the crime, the accused purchased a second-hand car and fled the city.
Chandu was arrested from Nemawar Road area, while separate teams apprehended Praveen Bhandari, 37, a resident of Vishnupuri Colony in Indore, and Amar alias Manga Ahirwar, 42, a resident of Kulkarni Ka Bhatta in Pardeshipura, from Sanwer Road area.
Police recovered Rs 10 lakh in cash and the blue bag used to carry the money from Chandu, Rs 6 lakh from Amar, and Rs 6.60 lakh from Praveen. The helmet and clothes worn during the robbery, along with the two-wheeler used in the crime and the second-hand car purchased after the offence, were also seized.
