By IANS,
Ranchi : The security guard of ICICI bank had tipped off Maoists about the movement of the vehicle that led to Rs.50 million and one kg gold being looted, a police official said Friday.
Sagar Thakur, who has been arrested, was one of three guards of the ICICI van carrying Rs.50 million and one kg gold which was looted by the Maoist rebels near Tamar situated on Ranchi-Jamshedpur national highway May 21.
Mobile phone details reveal that Sagar was in touch with Maoist rebels for the past two months. And he was also in touch with a person on the day of the robbery.
“Sagar was in touch with Maoist rebels for past two months. The van was deliberately stopped at Salgidih village of Tamar block. The vehicle was stopped at a place from where the road leads to a jungle area,” said Senior Superintendent of Police Ranchi M.S. Bhatia.
He said: “Sagar crossed the road after the van stopped, but the other security guards were on the side of the road where the vehicle was parked.”
What created suspicion among police officials was that Sagar reached Bundu police station and informed that Maoist rebels have looted the van.
The police officials wondered as to how he could pointedly say that Maoist guerrillas were involved in the incident without verifying the facts.
The print out of his mobile calls revealed that he was in regular touch with Maoist guerrillas. He was also in touch with Maoist rebels on the day of robbery, an official said.
Sagar is a resident of Gumla district and retired from the Border Security Force.
There is no information about the van driver Binay Singh.
The suspected Maoist rebels hijacked the ICICI van from Salgidih and took it into the jungle. The van was recovered May 22 in a charred condition.