A constable with the Kolkata Police was arrested in connection with the sensational Rs 2.66 crore robbery that took place in the Entally area of central Kolkata earlier this month.
The officer, identified as Mintu Sarkar, was attached to the Special Task Force (STF) of the Kolkata Police, officials said. Sarkar, a resident of Joypur in South Dinajpur district, was taken into custody by the detective department of Kolkata Police on Tuesday night following intensive interrogation. His exact role in the heist is yet to be ascertained, and investigators are examining whether he was an active participant or merely a source of insider information.
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The case dates back to 5 May, when two employees of a foreign exchange firm were travelling by taxi from their office on SN Banerjee Road to deposit cash at a bank. The employees were reportedly carrying Rs 2.66 crore in a bag when, around 11.45 a.m, two unidentified men boarded the taxi near Philips More. The vehicle was diverted to a secluded alley in the Karaya area, where the assailants overpowered the occupants and fled with the money. A formal complaint was lodged at Entally police station, and a probe was launched immediately. Over the past few days, six individuals were arrested in connection with the incident. The accused have been identified as Sanjib Das alias Pacha, Mohammad Sarfaraz alias Sonu, Riju Hazra, Shah Rukh Sheikh, Alamgir Khan, and Amiruddin alias Guzzar. Among them, Riju Hazra was reportedly an employee of the same forex firm, raising suspicions of an inside job. Police conducted raids across Entally, Subhasgram, and Mathurapur to apprehend the suspects. So far, approximately Rs 71.19 lakh of the stolen amount has been recovered, with efforts ongoing to trace the remainder. The arrest of Sarkar marks a significant twist in the investigation, as police now probe whether law enforcement insiders were involved in the execution of the robbery. Officials say further arrests and recoveries are likely in the coming days as the investigation deepens.