The investigation into the dramatic Rs 7 crore daylight heist in Bengaluru, where a CMS cash van was robbed on Tuesday, has intensified, with the police zeroing in on the possibility of an inside job. Sources told NDTV on Wednesday that driver Vinod, custodian Aftab, gunman Rajanna, and staffer Thammayya were subjected to extensive interrogation to verify their accounts.
All four have reportedly given similar statements and denied any involvement in the robbery. The police seized their mobile phones to examine whether any photographs of the vehicle, bank, or the route were taken or deleted, or to check if photographs or sensitive information were forwarded to anyone.
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Investigators are also scanning call logs and message histories for suspicious communication. A tower dump analysis has been initiated to identify all mobile numbers active near the crime spot and to determine whether any calls were exchanged between those numbers and the staff.
Police Checkposts Across Bengaluru
The accused, who posed as Reserve Bank of India (RBI) officers and looted the cash van, are still at large.
Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh confirmed that multiple angles, including insider involvement and security lapses, are under scrutiny.
"We have information that around seven crores have been robbed, but the exact amount is yet to be confirmed as the driver is not giving clear details," Singh said.
"Checkposts have been set up across the city, and multiple teams, including three DCPs and a Joint Commissioner, are working on the case. We are assessing why the security personnel didn't use their weapons and why there was a delay in informing the police," he added.
WhatsApp Calls, Fake Car Number Plates
Based on preliminary information from CMS cash van staff, investigators believe the robbers communicated over WhatsApp calls and conversed in Kannada.
They suspect that the robbers operated in two groups- one to hijack the cash van staff and the second to decamp with the cash. The Toyota Innova used in the crime is believed to have carried fake number plates.
Search Operations Launched Across Karnataka
Search operations have been launched across the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border regions, including Hosakote and Hosur, with more than 50 police personnel deployed. CCTV footage from toll plazas and all major exit routes is being closely examined.
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Footage showed the Innova involved in the heist travelling from Old Madras Road towards Electronic City.
Police are also scrutinising recently resigned CMS employees, new recruits, suspicious staffers, and anyone with a known criminal history to rule out internal collusion.
With multiple specialised teams on the ground and surveillance tightening across state borders, Bengaluru Police say cracking the case is now their top priority.
"Robbers Swapped Cars"
Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said on Thursday the robbers swapped cars and moved the money.
"They have used the number plate of a different vehicle to avoid detection. When we searched that number, we found that it belonged to a man who owns a Maruti Swift. We don't know which car they have used to escape the city. We have learnt that they swapped cars and shifted the money as well. We don't know which car that is. We are trying to get information on whether the car has left the state," Parameshwara told reporters.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that one of the cars has been recovered. "We have got some clues; one car has been recovered that was used in the heist. We are trying to trace and arrest the accused," Siddaramaiah said.
