Serial cash heists expose police-informant nexus

8 cops, retired DySP arrested post-demonetisation

After demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes, several police personnel have been arrested for making away with mo­ney that was being transported for exchange illegally. The Central Crime Branch (CCB) alone has seized Rs 2.43 crore cash in eight cases after the note ban was announced on November 8.

The cash consisting the new currency as well as the banned notes has been handed over to the Income Tax department. Apart from the CCB,  West division police have registered 20 cases in as many days and seized several crores in cash. Eight serving police personnel and a retired deputy superintendent of police have been arrested in these cases. In East division, only one case has been registered in KR Puram, a senior police officer told DH. The police are yet to calculate the total money seized in the West and East divisions.

Asked about the reasons for involvement of the police personnel in the heists, the officer said: “It is human tendency and temptation. They are being tempted to make quick buck. But they are ending up being arrested. In all the cases where policemen have been arrested, there has been a link between the cops and their informants.’’

The arrested police personnel thought that cash being carried for conversion/exchange on commission basis was unaccounted money. They also thought that black money hoarders would not approach the police as they have to provide supporting documents to prove that the money belonged to them. When those who lost money have no documents, they hesitate to approach the police, fearing arrests. In such cases, people normally do not approach the police. Taking advantage of such a situation, the policemen make away with the cash without registering a case, senior officials explained, on how the racket worked.

The city police are also investigating how police informants get to know about cash being transported by different people. “The nexus between the police and informants is being checked. Informants are using the police to make easy money. All the policemen have been instructed to inform their superiors as soon as they seize cash, besides alerting the I-T department,” an officer said.