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Bank manager, 2 others held for Rs 53cr robbery
Pic: Vijayapura SP Lakshman Nimbargi and others having a look at the gold stolen from Canara Bank's Managuli branch.
Vijayapura: A bank manager and his two accomplices were arrested in connection with the theft of gold and cash valued at Rs 53.3 crore from Canara Bank's Managuli branch on May 25.
Vijayapura SP Lakshman Nimbaragi said here on Thursday that 58.9kg of gold valued at Rs 53.26 crore and cash to the tune of Rs 5.2 lakh was stolen from the locker of the bank in Basavanabagewadi taluk of Vijayapura district.
Police suspected the involvement of insiders and eight teams of police personnel were formed to nab the culprits. Police arrested Vijayakumar Miriyal, former manager of Managuli branch, Chandrashekhar Nerella of Hubballi and Sunil Moka, and recovered two cars and 10.5kg of gold valued at Rs 10.75 crore that was being transported in the car.
How they planned
Nimbargi said: "Nerella, who was dismissed from Syndicate Bank, is into real estate business in Hubballi. He plays in casinos in Goa and Sri Lanka. Moka is his associate."
Miriyal along with his friend Nerella and Moka hatched the plan in February this year to loot the bank. They were waiting for Miriyal to be transferred from Managuli branch so that the allegations will come on the new incumbent manager.
Miriyal was transferred to Ronihal branch in Vijayapura district on May 9 and the crime was committed on the intervening night of May 24 and 25, Nimbargi said.
He said Miriyal had handed over the keys of the bank's safe deposit lockers to his two associates and they had got duplicate keys made. The trio had recced the roads and CCTV cameras, and ensured that lights and cameras were dysfunctional on the night of May 24. The trio had kept black magic materials near the branch to give an impression that people from Kerala and Tamil Nadu were involved.
SP Nimbaragi said the probe carried out so far is 'Managuli Part I' and 'Managuli II' is awaited. "We have continued our probe to recover remaining stolen gold and cash and nab the others involved in this crime," he said.
