Chandigarh Police say the owners had staged the robbery of the jewellery store for the insurance money.
Highlights
- 3 people posed as customers, locked up guard, robbed staff at gunpoint
- Owners claimed the robbers did a recce, then looted store on second visit
- Cops say the heist was staged to claim ` 10 crore of insurance money
The owners of the jewellery store where a Rs 14 crore heist took place last week, have had a case filed against them by the police. The police say heist was staged - the motive, Rs 10 crore insurance money.
The two brothers -- Vinod and Rajnish Verma -- who own the showroom, located at the city's posh Sector 17 market, had stage-managed the entire drama, said police sources. Their relatives had staged the robbery and one of them hid the memory card of the CCTV to destroy evidence.
The robbery had taken place during the day. Two women and a man had entered the store posing as customers. They took away jewellery and cash, locking up the security guard and six staff members at gunpoint inside a room.
Owner Rajesh Verma said the gang had done a reccee on Saturday, booking a ring and ostensibly coming back for it on Sunday. They had robbed the store during the second visit.
But the police got suspicious as the two owners got themselves admitted in a hospital so they could avoid questioning, an officer said.
The police lodged a First Information Report against the Verma brothers. They have been accused of cheating, forgery and destruction of evidence.
Vinod Verma -- who is currently at a hospital in Panchkula -- told media that the cops were unable to arrested those involved in the loot and have pressurised the manager to turn approver in the case.
His bother is also at the hospital, undergoing treatment for food poisoning.