ATM cash van driver flees with Rs 99 lakh

The police are on the lookout for a 23-year-old driver of a cash management firm, who is on the run after he made away with Rs 99 lakh meant for ATM kiosks in Banaswadi on Friday.

The suspect Pawan, a native of Mandya, had joined the firm as a driver only a week ago, the police said. He was deputed to take the vehicle with three staffers to refill cash in ATM kiosks in the East division.

The staff in their vehicle had come to fill cash at an ICICI bank ATM kiosk situated in Kammanahalli around 4.10 pm. The cash custodian went inside the ATM with two gunmen following him. Pawan, who was waiting in the van, all of a sudden drove away. The gunmen tried to chase the van but in vain. They immediately alerted the police, who rushed to the spot and launched a manhunt to locate the cash-ferrying vehicle by informing all the control rooms.

The Banaswadi police then found the abandoned vehicle near the Lingarajapuram flyover. Upon inspection, the police learnt that Pawan had tried to open a chest locker containing more cash, but was unable to open it. So, he escaped with Rs 99 lakh, which was kept outside the chest.

The police are analysing CCTV footage to track him down. “We have definite clues about his whereabouts and he will be secured soon,” said Rahul Kumar Shahapurwad, DCP, east division.

The company staff told the police that they had verified his antecedents and since there was no criminal background, they appointed him as a driver, the police said. A case has been registered and the search for the accused is underway, they added.