Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
In a major development, police have successfully recovered 60 tolas (approximately 600 grams) of gold on Thursday, 21 days after the dacoity at the residence of industrialist Santosh Ladda in Bajajnagar.
The investigation led to the recovery of 194 grams of gold ornaments that had been sold by Suresh alias Suryakant Gangane (45, Ambajogai). Along with him, three accomplices and a jewellery trader from Nanded were arrested. With these arrests, the total number of accused in the case has now reached 16.
The sensational dacoity at the residence of Santosh Ladda, which made headlines across the state, was successfully solved by the Crime Branch on May 31, just days after the encounter of Amol Khotkar on May 25. Investigations revealed that the dacoity was masterminded by Ladda’s childhood friend, Balasaheb Ingole (46). The plot was executed with help from Amol and Yogesh Hajbe, who had called Suresh alias Suryakant Gangane from Ambajogai to participate in the dacoity.
According to Gangane’s statement, he and his associate Sohel Shaikh (22, Ambajogai) received 200 grams of gold as their share of the loot. They later sold the gold through their contacts to a jeweller, Ashish Bakliwal (42, Vazirabad, Nanded), who has also confessed to purchasing the stolen gold.
Rs 5,000 commission for selling gold
The Crime Branch team, led by inspector Sambhaji Pawar, PSIs Vishal Bodkhe, and Sandip Salunke, has made significant progress in tracing the gold from the Ladda dacoity case. The investigation revealed the involvement of Shaikh Abuzar alias Shahid (23), Shaikh Sohel Shaikh Mustafa (26) – both residents of Ambajogai, and Shaikh Shahrukh (32, Nanded) along with jeweller Bakliwal in purchasing the stolen gold.
Timeline of events
After the dacoity on May 15, on May 18, Suresh Gangane handed over the gold to Sohel. Sohel melted the gold and passed it to Abuzar. Abuzar, with help from his cousin Shahrukh, sold 194 grams of gold to Bakliwal for Rs 18.4 lakh.
Commission for the job
Gangane paid Rs 5,000 each to Sohel, Abuzar, and Shahrukh for their role in disposing of the gold. These individuals are reportedly involved in extracting gold from soil and selling it as part of their routine work. The Crime Branch team arrested Sohel in Pune, while the other accused were apprehended in Nanded.
Each received 200 grams of gold
During interrogation, the arrested robbers claimed that Amol gave each of them only 200 grams of gold (20 tolas) after the dacoity and kept the remaining gold and all the silver with himself. Now, the police are actively investigating how much gold Amol kept for himself, and where he has hidden or sold it. So far, the police have managed to recover a total of 60 tolas (approximately 600 grams) of gold related to the dacoity. The search continues to trace the remaining valuables.