A former Maharashtra Police sub-inspector who was dismissed from service after a bank robbery case in 2023 has been arrested again, this time in connection with a robbery of Rs 36.48 crore at a State Bank of India (SBI) branch at Bhokar village in Jalgaon district, police said. Three other men were also arrested, and police said the stolen cash and about 27 kg of gold ornaments were recovered within hours of the October 31 robbery.

Source: Daily Jagran

According to investigators, four men wearing helmets and face coverings entered the bank between 2.45 pm and 3.15 pm on October 31, armed with firearms, knives and wooden sticks. They allegedly threatened the bank manager, the cashier and other employees and forced them to open the lockers, tying up staff and covering their mouths. When security guard Sandeep Koli tried to resist, one of the accused allegedly fired at him, injuring him.

Source: Jazzbaat24

Rs 36.48 croretotal value of property stolen (yaani about Rs 36.5 crore)
27 kggold ornaments taken from 16 lockers
Rs 12.26 lakhcash taken
4men arrested within hours

The gang escaped on two motorcycles carrying the cash and gold, fleeing towards Dharangaon; on the way, the accused allegedly left four bags containing stolen valuables near Chavalkheda. The bank's emergency alarm had alerted people nearby, and villagers and local police patils joined the pursuit. Police teams tracked the suspects, found two hiding in a field and intercepted the others, arresting all four after resistance in which some police personnel sustained minor injuries.

Source: Daily Jagran

The dismissed officer at the centre of the case

Police identified the alleged mastermind as Shankar Ramesh Jasak, 42, who joined the Maharashtra Police as a sub-inspector in 2015 and first served in Raigad district. He was dismissed after being named in an SBI robbery in Jalgaon in 2023. Investigators suspect he planned this robbery with Gajanan Rajendra Pawar, 32, whom he met while both were lodged in Jalgaon district jail; Pawar had been arrested in a 2024 murder case and was out on bail. The other arrested men were identified as Ankush Tulsiram Pawar, 26, of Burhanpur district in Madhya Pradesh, and Ankush Shravan Chavan, 30, of Ramdevwadi in Jalgaon district. Police have registered a case under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Arms Act. The allegations are yet to be tested in court.

Source: Daily Jagran