Raipur (Chhattisgarh): The police have arrested six suspects in connection with a robbery includes jewelry worth Rs 5 crore and cash Rs 7 lakh in Balrampur district, Chhattisgarh. The robbery was executed by a gang known as 'Booking Soni' from Jharkhand, which sold some of the jewelry to a jeweler and melted the rest. The police have recovered the stolen items.
The incident occurred on September 11 at Rajesh Jewelers, located in Ramanujganj Nagar Palika Chowk, at 1:50 PM when three armed assailants carried out the robbery. The robbers took the jeweler, Rajesh Soni (a BJP councilor), along with two customers and employees as hostage. They collected the cash and jewellery from the shop, and fled towards Jharkhand on a motorcycle. Within 15 minutes the incident of robbery was executed in flimsy style.
The police have also recovered stolen jewelry, cash, and weapons from the suspects. Through an investigation of CCTV footage, two wanted criminals were identified: Monu Soni, alias Raj Soni, from Chainpur, Jharkhand, and Rahul Kumar Mehta from Aurangabad.
Police conducted raids in Gadhwa, Aurangabad, Ranchi, and Daltonganj using eight teams. Among those arrested are brothers Sonu and Monu, who each have a reward of ₹50,000 offered for their capture in Jharkhand. Their uncle and Sonu's girlfriend, Anjali, have also been apprehended. However, the suspect who purchased the jewelry remains at large.
During a raid at Anjali's residence, the police recovered 3.354 kg of gold and 7.280 kg of silver. They also seized a Bolero vehicle, two racing motorcycles, two pistols, and ₹5.80 lakh in cash from other suspects.
The arrested individuals include the girlfriend of the main suspect, who had hidden the stolen jewelry in her home. After the robbery, the suspects divided the loot at Barwadi Railway Station.
Police reported that Monu Soni, alias Raj Soni, and his brother Sonu Soni - involved in multiple robbery cases in Jharkhand.
