Aurangabad, Dec 3: The local crime branch of the Aurangabad police arrested five members of a gang who had robbed a cotton trader of Rs 5 lakh on December 2. Cash, the two-wheeler used in the crime and a mobile handset, all worth Rs 4.06 lakh, have been seized from them.
The accused have been identified as Vishal Kakde, Yogesh Kolte (both residents of Kolte Takli), Akash alias Lalya Borse (24, Varegaon), Amol alias Dola Jadhav, Sachin Bankar, Pradeep Tayade (Vadhona in Bhokardan tehsil of Jalna district).
According to details, complainant Kantaram Pawar (Donwada) and Sahebrao Somde are engaged in cotton trading. On December 2 evening, they took Rs 4.01 lakh in cash from Punit Cotton Industries, Sillod. They had total Rs 5 lakh with them. Keeping the money in a bag, they were proceeding to Dongaon via Vadobazaar, Jategaon on a motorcycle. At Waghalgaon Phata, two criminals came on a motorcycle and one of them kicked the motorcycle of the complainant. As Pawar and Somde fell down, the two criminals began beating up the duo and fled with the bag containing the cash. LCB inspector Bhagwat Phunde, PSI Ganesh Raut and team swung into action and solved the case within 12 hours, arresting the accused. The police seized Rs 2.96 lakh of the cash stolen, the motorcycle of the criminals and six mobile handsets. Three suspects from Takli Kolte hatched the plan. One of them kept an eye on the trader and tipped off accomplices. PI Phunde said that this criminal is absconding with a big amount. Vishal Kakde came up with the plan of the crime when three accused were chatting on a village katta. They later called accomplices from Varegaon.