Two men allegedly posed as CBI officers and robbed a trader of Rs 25 lakh at Balapur bus stand. Police arrested them within 12 hours, recovered the cash and began checking its source.
In a swift breakthrough, the Akola Local Crime Branch (LCB) arrested two men within 12 hours of their allegedly posing as Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officers and robbing an elderly trader of Rs 25 lakh in Maharashtra’s Akola district. Police recovered the entire stolen amount along with other valuables.
According to police, the incident took place on June 19 between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. when a nearly 70-year-old businessman from Khamgaon, who operates a Pico call centre, boarded a bus at the Balapur bus stand.
Investigators said one of the accused, who was already acquainted with the victim, identified him and executed a pre-planned scheme. The accused allegedly used Google to create a fake CBI identity card and approached the trader posing as a CBI officer.
Claiming that the businessman was involved in illegal financial transactions, the accused allegedly threatened him with legal action and demanded that he hand over his mobile phone and a bag containing cash. The victim was also told to accompany them to a police station.
To make the operation appear genuine, the first accused called his accomplice to the spot and pretended that the trader was being taken for official questioning. However, as soon as the victim got off the bus, the two men fled with the cash and mobile phone.
Initially unaware that he had been deceived, the trader waited at the bus stand for a police vehicle that never arrived. Realising he had been duped, he later filed a complaint at Balapur Police Station.
Given the seriousness of the case, Akola Superintendent of Police Archit Chandak constituted a special investigation team. Under the leadership of Police Inspector Nitin Levarkar, a team comprising three officers and 20 personnel launched an intensive probe.