Ludhiana police arrested four men, including ex-servicemen, in connection with a Rs 20 lakh robbery targeting a Jagraon-based money changer. The accused had conspired to rob the money changer’s driver nine months after being hired as his private security guard.
The robbery took place on January 5 near the Verka Milk Plant, where the driver, Ravi Kumar, was carrying 30,000 Canadian dollars (~Rs 20 lakh) to deliver to a friend. The accused intercepted him, posing as CIA officers, and took the cash before fleeing in a Toyota Innova.
The arrested men are Sarabjit Singh (48) of Talwandi Rai, Ludhiana, Harjeet Singh (51) and Sakattar Singh (48) of Amritsar, and Stephen Masih (34) of Gurdaspur. A fifth accused, Jaspal Singh of Amritsar, is still at large.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Investigation) Harpal Singh explained that Sarabjit Singh, hired as a private security guard after a prior threat, was aware of his employer’s cash dealings. He planned the robbery with his accomplices, boarding the same bus as the driver and orchestrating the heist.
Sarabjit has a criminal record, including four FIRs for snatching and loot under the Arms Act, and was previously arrested in 2019 for car-snatching. Police believe Goyal did not verify Sarabjit’s background before hiring him, trusting him because he was an ex-serviceman.
Authorities recovered the stolen cash, the Toyota Innova used in the crime, and two licensed .32 bore pistols belonging to Sarabjit and Harjeet, along with 12 live cartridges. Raids are ongoing to apprehend the fifth accused.
