PANJIM: As investigations into the Rs 34 lakh robbery case crosses a month, Crime Branch recovered Rs 14 lakh cash in Rs 2000 notes on Wednesday. The amount was recovered from an apartment at Duler, Mapusa that belongs to a friend of accused Antonio D’Cruz and Sameer Satardekar.
CB had arrested D’Cruz, Satardekar, Raju Mithale and Siddesh Fatarpekar for conniving with absconders Vinit Shet and Pritesh Mayenkar to commit the offence last month. While police custody of the first two accused was extended by four days on Thursday, the local court remanded Mithale and Fatarpekar to four days judicial custody.
According to investigations, Shet had allegedly kept some share of the cash with a friend of D’Cruz and Satardekar. However, Investigating Officer PI Dattaguru Sawant said that a preliminary inquiry found that the friend – a property dealer – was unaware of the crime.
The case, previously investigated by Saligao Police saw the suspension of constable Vikas Naik and a police sub inspector was also on the radar. As per the FIR at Saligao police station, three friends from Kudal, Maharashtra, including one Eqbal Memon had traveled to Goa with Rs 34 lakh cash to exchange for old notes from Fatarperkar last month. In return, the trio was supposed to get Rs 44 lakh in old denominations.
“Fatarperkar asked Memon to meet him at a Saligao hotel after which he (Fatarpekar) called his friend Mithale, who then called his friend Satrardekar who contacted Shet. D’Cruz and Mayenkar were thereafter roped-in,” an officer had said.
