Dacoity planned six days advance through recce

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

The investigation has revealed that the dacoity in the house of industrialist Santosh Ladda was made through micro-planning by six gangsters.

The accused Yogesh Subhash Hajbe (31, Wadgaon Kolhati) had received information from a person in Waluj that Ladda kept a large amount of cash at his residence. Hajbe shared this information with Amol Khotkar (34, Padegaon), and together they decided to loot the cash. Since then, Hajbe had been continuously gathering information about Ladda. As soon as the industrialist left for the United States, Hajbe, along with Amol, planned the robbery six days in advance. Amol called upon notorious criminals from Ambejogai, with whom he had formed a friendship while in prison. Together, they devised a well-planned conspiracy and, on May 15, after drinking heavily at a lodge, they carried out the robbery.

On May 15, a daring robbery took place in a posh residential area just one kilometre from the MIDC Waluj police station. Ladda owns a company named 'Disha Auto Comps' in the Waluj Industrial Estate. On May 7, he, along with his wife and elder son, travelled to the United States to attend the graduation ceremony of his younger son.

During their absence, Sanjay Zhalke, who had been their driver for 19 years, was staying at the house and taking care of it. Around 2 am on May 15, the robbers arrived in a car, jumped over the security wall, and entered the bungalow. Using a ladder found at the premises, they climbed to the first floor, broke the door, and entered the house. They assaulted Zhalke, tied his hands and mouth, and held a country-made pistol to his chest while looting the house.

Conspiracy hatched through recce and planning

Hajbe had complete information about Ladda. After learning that a large amount of cash was kept at Ladda’s house, he informed Amol, and together they decided to execute a robbery.

Hajbe was continuously monitoring Ladda’s movements. As soon as he learned that Ladda had gone to the United States, starting from May 9, both Hajbe and Amol began roaming around his housing society. On May 10, they finalised the plan for the robbery.

On May 11, Amol called two notorious dacoits from Ambejogai, Suresh alias Suryakant Gangane (45) and Sohel Jalil Shaikh (22), to the city. Hajbe also involved his friend from Sajapur, Mahendra Madhav Bidwe (38).

Gangane arrived in the city with Sohel. On May 13 and 14, they conducted surveillance (recce), and within the next 24 hours, they carried out the robbery. All of them had developed a close friendship while in prison.

Criminal Background – Amol Khotkar

Amol Khotkar has a long history of serious criminal activity. He is a close associate of the notorious criminal known as "Bablya," who is infamous for his violent behaviour. Amol Khotkar was wanted by different police stations. He has been booked in 10 different cases involving theft, robbery, assault, attempted murder, illegal liquor trade, and fraud across various police stations, including Chawani, MIDC Cidco, Begumpura, Khuldabad, Satara, Badnapur, Ahilyanagar, and Vedantnagar.

A court hearing in a fraud case was scheduled for June 2.

Amol entered the world of crime in 2010, and the most recent case against him was registered in 2022 at Vedantnagar Police Station.

On September 26, 2018, Amol had attempted to run over then Crime Branch officer Maroti Dasre and his squad with a car near Jain International School, in an attempt to kill them. He then fled the scene.

Amol was also a close associate of the notorious criminal Shaikh Wajid alias Bablya, who was infamous for cannibalism after murder. In 2015, both Amol and Bablya were involved together in a criminal case.

Criminal Background – Suresh Gangne

Out of a total of 11 criminal cases, 9 cases alone are registered against Suresh at the Ambejogai Police Station. These include theft, robbery, assault, and kidnapping. He was imprisoned under the MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act) for six years. He was recently released on bail just a few months ago. Around 2018, while in prison, he developed a close friendship with Amol.

Criminal Background – Yogesh Hajbe

A total of 5 criminal cases have been registered against Yogesh, with the majority filed at the MIDC Waluj Police Station. These cases include rape of a minor girl, attempt to murder, illegal liquor trade, the first case against him was registered in 2014.