12 Kolkata: A major robbery was reported from the heart of the city around noon on Monday. According to the victims, both employees of a forex company, two armed men reportedly followed them, used a weapon to threaten them after getting into the their taxi, and then fled with Rs 2.7 crore. A couple of people have been detained in this regard, and an FIR is being drawn up.
According to joint CP (crime & traffic) Rupesh Kumar, it was around 11.40 am that the two employees left the office close to the Technical School at Janbazar on SN Banerjee Road. "The employees of Avinandan Forex Pvt Limited boarded a taxi to deposit Rs 2.7 crore at the SBI's Park Circus branch. Two yet-to-be-identified persons most likely followed the taxi. About a kilometre later, at Phillips Crossing, they suddenly boarded the taxi and took the employees to a lonely lane in Kamardanga, near Jessore Road. They then took away the cash kept in the boot space of the taxi. Inquiry into the matter is going on," Kumar said.
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Cops said there are several gaps in the victims' statements. The fact that the taxi driver drove along crowded roads with the miscreants for so long without raising an alarm is equally baffling amidst reports that the miscreants paid his full fare.
"The victims claimed some weapon was held near their shoulders. However, they are not sure if there was a real weapon. Additionally, not all CCTV and other technical inputs have matched with the victims' statements. The statement of the cabby will be crucial as an insider hand cannot be ruled out. The fact that they were followed — with the miscreants knowing where the money was stored — is itself indicative," an officer said.
TOI visited the spot in the evening and spoke to locals. but none knew about the incident. Ishan Gupta, who runs a tobacco shop near the spot, said, "I have been here since morning but did not see any such incident." B L Sinha, caretaker of a residential complex close to the spot, said, "I don't recall anything like that happening." Swapan Pramanik, a local, said, "It's shocking that Rs 2 crore was stolen and none came to know about it."