Mumbai Police Makes Key Breakthrough in Rs 10-Crore Agripada Jewellery Heist

In a significant development in the Rs 10-crore daylight robbery at Rishabh Jewelers in Agripada on December 29, Mumbai Police have uncovered crucial details about the accused and their movements post-crime. The investigation revealed that the two accused, instead of fleeing immediately, divided the stolen gold and cash into two parts and separated. Each carried their share in different bags to evade detection.

Police have recovered 50% of the looted gold from one of the accused, Santosh Balkia. However, the second accused, Vinod Pal, is still absconding with the remaining gold. According to the police, the duo split the loot equally between themselves.

Following the robbery, Santosh Balkia contacted some of his relatives residing in the Diva and Saat Rasta areas. Using technical analysis, the police traced his mobile number and tracked him to Jhansi, where he was arrested. Investigators discovered that Balkia had earlier resided in Diva for a few years before moving to Saat Rasta. He also has a prior criminal record under IPC Section 307 and has served jail time in that case.

The arrest of the second accused, Vinod Pal, was facilitated by the Mumbai Police's fingerprint department. After committing the robbery, Pal was captured on multiple CCTV cameras while fleeing Mumbai. His images were cross-referenced with the department's criminal database, which revealed his identity and a history of criminal activities.

The investigation confirmed that Pal was hiding in the border areas of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Crime Branch teams conducted extensive searches in MP's Niwari, Datia, and Tikamgarh districts and UP's Jhansi and Lalitpur districts. Pal was eventually located in the Simra Fata area, hiding under bundles of grass in a field. When the Crime Branch team reached the spot, Pal's relatives attempted to shield him and even attacked the police. Despite this, Pal was arrested.

While Pal has been apprehended, he had hidden his share of the loot elsewhere, which remains untraced. Recognizing the fingerprint department's pivotal role in cracking the case, the Mumbai Police have announced a cash reward of ₹50,000 for their work.