Cops solve Rs 19-lakh bank theft

It took the Warje police just four days to nab the hand behind the Rs 19-lakh theft at Annapurna Women Co-operative Bank on July 17.

Cops solve Rs 19-lakh bank theft

It took the Warje police just four days to nab the hand behind the Rs 19-lakh theft at Annapurna Women Co-operative Bank on July 17. The driver of the chairperson of the bank was arrested and Rs 16 lakh recovered from him.

Stolen trust: Employeed since the past six years, the bank chairperson's
chauffeur used original keys to open the safe and went absconding after
the theft. representation pic/Thinkstock images

As original keys were used in the theft, the police suspected an insider's job. The driver failed to report to duty one day, which further aroused suspicion. The accused has been identified as Sidheshwar Shivaji Vaghaj (28), a resident of Kothrud who hails from Karad in Satara district.

The police said the accused was working in the co-operative bank as the driver of the bank chairperson for the last six years. On July 18, the bank authorities came to know that the entire amount in the safe was stolen.
The chairperson of the bank Dr Medha Samant registered a complaint with the Warje police station after the incident came to light.

"The bank staff said opening the bank safe with duplicate keys was a difficult task. So, we suspected an insider's hand. During investigation, we found out that the driver had not reported on duty ever since the theft was reported," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone I) Dnyaneshwar Phadtare.u00a0

"The chairperson realised that one set of keys was missing, so we started interrogating the bank employees, including Vaghaj. Vaghaj finally spilled the beans and admitted to using original keys to steal the cash."

Phadtare said the driver had gone to his village in Karad and kept the entire cash in jute bags and returned to the city to resume duty," he said. Phadtare said that they could recover only Rs 16 lakh from him as he had purchased a television set and a cupboard.