Thane: 4 persons get 5-year term for attacking, robbing toll plaza workers of Rs 33.67 lakh

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A court in Thane district, Maharashtra, has handed down five-year sentences of rigorous imprisonment to four individuals who assaulted two toll plaza employees and made off with Rs 33.67 lakhs in cash. Additional Sessions Judge PM Gupta also acquitted four other suspects linked to the case. The court's order, dated September 14, was made accessible on Saturday.

According to a report in PTI, Ravi Ashok Prajapati (27), Kalpesh Agyaram Varma (27), Mohammad Samir (38), and Raju Prasad (32) received five years of rigorous imprisonment each, along with a Rs 5,000 fine imposed on each of them. Furthermore, Prasad was convicted under Section 397 (robbery or dacoity with an attempt to cause death or grievous harm) of the Indian Penal Code and was sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment. All sentences are to run concurrently, as stated in the order.

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During the court proceedings, Additional Public Prosecutor Varsha Chandane recounted the events of September 12, 2016. On that day, two individuals employed at the Malodi Toll Plaza in Bhiwandi were en route to a bank to deposit Rs 33.67 lakhs when their jeep was intercepted by a tempo and a motorcycle. The occupants of these vehicles launched a violent attack on the pair, wielding a knife, and forcibly seized the bags containing the substantial sum of cash before making their getaway.

In another case, Vakola Police recently busted a racket and arrested seven members who reportedly looted money from people at gunpoint on the pretext of giving them a "massage". In July, a man filed a complaint against an unidentified person who allegedly threatened him at gunpoint at a hotel where he had gone to get a massage service.

The probe then revealed there were six others involved and the kingpin was a worker of a spa and already had a database of people. He had instructed others involved to get the victims to the hotel and would extract money from them at gunpoint after their arrival. The group had stolen cash to the tune of Rs 4 lakh before they got caught. The group were charged under sections 379 (punishment for theft), 395 (punishment for dacoity), and 386 (commits extortion by putting any person in fear of death) of the Indian Penal Code.