Less than a week after he and his accomplices robbed steel plates worth lakhs to rupees from the steel processing unit of his former employer in Vasai, the accused landed into the custody of the Valiv police. Interestingly, the investigating officials posed as traders to nab the accused who has been identified as-Manoj Kumar Kalicharan Saroj.
According to the police, the accused had used duplicate keys to gain access into the premises of the processing unit in Nidhi Industrial Estate located in the Bhutpada area of Vasai and decamped with 42 steel plates. Following a complaint registered by the unit owner, a crime detection team from the Valiv police station led by Senior Police Inspector- Vilas Chougle and Police Inspector- Chandrakant Sarode, under the supervision of DCP (Zone III)- Prashant Waghunde started investigations into the case.
During the course of investigation, the team learnt about the presence of a pick-up jeep in the area which was loaded with similar steel plates that were stolen from the steel processing unit. It also came to light that some people were looking for buyers to sell the consignment. Posing as traders wanting to buy the steel plates, the police team laid a trap and apprehended the accused.
However his accomplices are still absconding. The police managed to recover the entire stolen booty along with a pick-up jeep valuing Rs. 10.90 lakh. The accused has been booked under section 381 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. Further investigations were underway.
