Delhi cash van robbery: Case transferred to Crime Branch

New Delhi: The Delhi Police's Crime Branch is probing the Rs 12 lakh robbery of a cash collection van in Rohini last week, in which the two custodians of the van were also shot dead by unidentified assailants, police said today.

The case related to April 26 incident was transferred from the district police to the Crime Branch for a thorough probe, they added.

Police said the Crime Branch is looking at whether Haryana-based criminals are behind the robbery-cum-killing as it happened close to the Haryana border.

"At the moment, we are studying the modus operandi of the accused and the probable escape routes. There have been similar incidents in the neighbouring areas and we are probing whether there are any linkages among them, " said an officer privy to the probe.

Besides questioning the employees of the cash collection company, according to police, they will also be seeking a list of firm's former employees.

The robbery-cum-killing took place when the van had come to pick cash from a wine shop at DSIIDC (Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation) industrial area, in Narela.

Cashier Rajnikant and guard Prem Kumar were shot at by three unidentified motorcycle-borne persons. The accused, who were wearing helmets, allegedly fired at the victims 18 to 20 times and then fled with the cash box containing Rs 12 lakh.

Both the victims died at the Raja Harishchandra hospital in Narela.

On April 24 also some unidentified men made an attempt to rob a cash van in Rohini, but it was foiled by the cashier and security guard. However, both of them sustained bullet injuries during the incident.