Four accused in Ranaghat jewellery chain heist convicted

Four persons accused of robbery at a jewellery chain in Ranaghat, Nadia have been convicted by the Additional District Judge 1, Ranaghat on Wednesday.

The jewellery shop was robbed by a group of armed robbers on August 29, last year. Around 2:30 pm, eight miscreants had entered the jewellery shop at Rathtala Rail Gate area in Ranaghat and robbed the store while holding the workers at gunpoint. One of the staff members had managed to call the police control room.

While exiting the shop, the robbers were met by a police team and subsequently both sides exchanged fire leading to the injury of two robbers. The other two were chased by the cops and caught later. Soon, one of the accused, identified as Kundan Kumar Yadav, who is also an accused in the Raju Jha murder case of Burdwan, was arrested. Among the two injured accused, one died at the hospital.

Police had filed the chargesheet against eight persons on November 7 last year, among which three persons are still absconding. The special public prosecutor of the case, Bivas Chatterjee said that the charges were framed against the four arrested accused on November 23.

During the trial, statements of 35 witnesses were recorded in the court in just eight days.

After completion of the trial, the four accused persons were finally convicted on Wednesday for attempt to murder, assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty, punishment for dacoity, robbery or dacoity, with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt, dishonestly receiving property stolen in the commission of a dacoity, criminal conspiracy and common intention along with possessing and using firearms. The quantum of punishment is scheduled to be announced on Thursday.

“For the first time we have used Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID) numbers to prove that the recovered jewelleries were robbed from the shop. The entire case was completed within nearly six months from the day of the incident,” said

Chatterjee, the special public prosecutor of the case.