The Hindu : Front Page : Stolen jewellery recovered in Mumbai; two held

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 19, 2006

Front Page

Front Page

Stolen jewellery recovered in Mumbai; two held

Staff Reporter

Home Minister announces reward of Rs. 10 lakhs for police

GOLDEN BREAKTHROUGH: The gold and diamond jewellery stolen from Alukkas showroom in Hyderabad was recovered from two persons in Mumbai by the crime branch of Mumbai police after they were arrested on Thursday.

MUMBAI: The mystery over the Rs. 6-crore heist in Alukkas showroom in Hyderabad on May 15 was solved when the crime branch of the Mumbai police on Thursday arrested two robbers who stole gold jewellery and diamonds weighing several kg.

They also recovered all the loot from Vinod Rambali Singh, 38, and Ajay Jawahar Singh, 48, who were picked up from Dahisar, a western suburb, nearly 40 km away from South Mumbai. They had not yet disposed of the ornaments.

The police said Vinod Rambali Singh was a member of an inter-State-gang of robbers who had been arrested 18 times in cases of house-breaking, burglary and robbery. He had always secured bail only to jump it and commit more offences, the police said.

Special Correspondent adds from Hyderabad: State Home Minister K. Jana Reddy announced a reward of Rs. 10 lakhs each to Mumbai and Hyderabad City police personnel as a gesture of appreciation from the State Government. A jubilant Mr. Jana Reddy, who faced flak from the Opposition for a string of crimes in the capital, told reporters that Vinod Rambali Singh was picked up from a Mumbai Hotel in less than three days after the crime. Vinod was picked up along with a diamond dealer from Surat, Ajay Jowar, who acted as an intermediary between criminals and receivers of stolen valuables. Srikanth Singh, who was also involved in actual commission of theft, was absconding, he said.

Mr. Jana Reddy said the city police would question the duo after a few days by seeking his custody from Mumbai court on Prisoners Transit warrant. He said Vinod Rambali Singh was a native of Uttar Pradesh who had been externed from Mumbai. He was released from jail only on March 25. City Police Commissioner Ajit K. Mohanty said the police would complete reconstruction of the scene of offence at Alukkas by Friday. Going by the footage of closed circuit TVs at the showroom, only two persons appeared to be involved in the operation.

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