Bengaluru, 23 Nov

Police on Sunday said they have arrested a seventh suspect in the Rs 7.11 crore cash van robbery case in Bengaluru.

The suspect is said to be related to a person already arrested in the case, police said, adding that the arrest was made late on Saturday night.

Police on Saturday announced the arrest of six people in connection with the robbery on 19 November in South Bengaluru, and recovery of Rs 6.29 crore out of the total Rs 7.11 crore robbed.

Among the arrested were former employees of CMS Info Systems, a cash logistics company, and Annappa Naik, a police constable attached to the Govindapura station in the city.

Meanwhile, Home Minister G Parameshwara on Sunday confirmed the seventh arrest, expressed confidence about the arrest of other suspects involved and the recovery of the remaining amount.

"The robbers of Rs 7.11 crore that had taken place in Bengaluru have been caught by the police, and seven people have been arrested. Some more people are yet to be arrested. One person from the police department is also involved. About 3-4 teams were formed to nab the culprits," he said.

Congratulating the city police and the commissioner, the home minister said two joint commissioners, two DCPs and over 200 staff were involved in the probe and the operation.

The incident had brought a bad name to the city and was a challenge to the police, he said.

Out of the Rs 7.11 crore that was robbed, Rs 6.29 crore has been recovered. "The remaining amount is being tracked and efforts are on to recover that too," he added.

Noting that the case was challenging for the police department, Parameshwara said, police have worked technically, with utmost caution and intelligence.

"The robbers had worked with a lot of caution. We are getting to know all those things. The cars that they used have also been seized. They knew about the money being transferred," he said, adding that the arrests have brought a good name to the department and the government.

The home minister said instructions will be given in the department to be vigilant and take merciless action against the police personnel involved in such activities by taking disciplinary and legal actions.

Asked whether there were any lapses on the part of the CMS Info Systems, he said, "All those things are being verified. Whether they are following RBI guidelines will be looked into. What guidelines should be given to them or what action should be taken against them will be looked into and will be followed."