Nanded: Four, including jeweller, held for plotting robbery of fellow trader over old grudge; 3kg silver recovered

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The Nanded police have arrested four people, including a jeweller, and detained a minor for allegedly orchestrating the armed robbery of a fellow jeweller, and recovered around 3kg of silver jewellery worth Rs 6.81 lakh on the night of June 29.

Police said the crime was plotted to avenge an old insult.Police identified the accused as Akshay Chandrakant Kulthe (21) of Zenda Chowk in Vasmat, Hingoli district, Sahil Omkar Kenjkar (19) of Sanmitra Colony, Nanded, Gopal Vivek Raptwar (21) of Somwar Peth (Vasmat) and a juvenile in conflict with law. The arrests were made during a joint operation by the local crime branch and the Limbgaon police.According to investigators, the robbery was the result of a carefully planned conspiracy allegedly masterminded by Kulthe, who is also engaged in the jewellery business.

The police said the motive behind the crime was to avenge an earlier insult allegedly directed at Kulthe by the complainant’s father.Police said the complainant and Kulthe were travelling together with a bag containing nearly 3kg of silver jewellery when the incident occurred near Shivam Bar under the jurisdiction of the Limbgaon police. “Around 8pm, Kulthe asked the complainant to stop their vehicle on the pretext of answering nature’s call.

As soon as the vehicle halted, three accomplices arrived on two motorcycles armed with sharp-edged weapons.

They threatened the complainant, snatched the bag containing the silver and fled, making the crime appear to be a spontaneous roadside robbery. Kulthe then continued to feign innocence,” an officer said.Nanded SP Nilabh Rohan said the case was cracked within days through technical analysis and specific intelligence inputs.

Acting on credible information, the police laid a trap on Malegaon Road in Nanded on Thursday and apprehended the accused, including the alleged mastermind and the juvenile. “During sustained interrogation, the accused confessed to their roles in the offence, and the entire stolen property was recovered,” Rohan said.Local crime branch inspector Atul Bhosale said the investigation revealed that Kulthe had deliberately travelled with the complainant to gain his trust before executing the plan. “The prime accused made the complainant stop on the pretext of attending nature’s call, allowing his associates to carry out the robbery exactly as planned,” Bhosale said.The accused have been booked under Sections 309(4) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at Limbgaon police station.