Patna: In a robbery that appears to have been planned around a fake official inspection, criminals allegedly posing as Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officers stole 2.6 kg of gold worth approximately Rs 2.92 crore from a passenger aboard the Chambal Express in Bihar’s Kaimur district.
Police have arrested three suspects and recovered 612.74 grams of the stolen gold. Investigators suspect that an employee of the gold trading company provided crucial information and helped plan the robbery.
How the Robbery Took Place
The incident took place on October 22, when Sanjeev Chauhan, an employee of a gold trading company based in Bareilly, was travelling from Kolkata to Bareilly aboard the Chambal Express. He was carrying approximately 2.6 kg of gold belonging to the company.
When the train reached the area near Bhabua Road railway station in Kaimur, several men approached him, allegedly identifying themselves as DRI officers. They claimed they needed to inspect the gold.
According to the account of the incident, the men intimidated Chauhan by threatening legal action and imprisonment. They also allegedly warned that the businessman’s residence could be raided.
Taking advantage of his fear, the suspects allegedly took away the gold and his mobile phone before escaping. Chauhan later realised that the men were not government officials.
Company Employee Allegedly Helped Plan the Robbery
During the investigation, police identified Sachin Gangwar, another employee of the company, as a suspected insider. Investigators believe he had access to information about the company’s operations and the movement of its gold consignments.
Police allege that Gangwar used this information to help his associates plan the robbery and acted as a line man by providing logistical details.
According to the information shared by police, Gangwar received a monthly salary of Rs 15,000 from the company.
Three Arrested in Bareilly, Gold Recovered
Following the robbery, the company owner, Sanjay Kumar Khandelwal, lodged an FIR at Bhabua Road railway police station on October 24.
Railway SP Anant Kumar Rai subsequently constituted a special investigation team under Railway DSP Gulshan Kumar. The team expanded its investigation across Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and used technical evidence to identify the suspects.
Police conducted raids in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, and arrested three men: Rohit Kumar, Sachin Gangwar and Varun Kumar. All three are reportedly residents of Nawada Shakhan village in Bareilly.
During the operation, police recovered 612.74 grams of gold from Varun Kumar’s house. The recovered quantity remains significantly lower than the approximately 2.6 kg reported stolen.
Two Suspects Still Absconding
Police are continuing searches for two other accused, identified as Dharmendra Patel and Rahul Maurya.
Railway DSP Gulshan Kumar shared details of the investigation during a press conference at the railway police station building at Gaya Junction on Sunday. He confirmed that three people had been arrested and said further investigation was underway.
The police are now working to trace the remaining suspects and recover the rest of the stolen gold.
The case has also raised questions about how the accused allegedly managed to impersonate officers of a central investigation agency and carry out a major robbery aboard a moving train
