ATM van robbers planned to splurge Rs 7.11-crore loot on Goa casinos: Charge sheet

Bengaluru: The nine-member gang that pulled off the Rs 7.11-crore ATM van heist in the city last year intended to go to Goa on their escape route and splurge the crime proceeds lavishly on casinos. 

The findings were part of the 1,328-page charge sheet filed by the Siddapura police in a Bengaluru court on Thursday. DH has reviewed the details. 

The nine have been charged with dacoity, wrongful restraint/confinement, causing disappearance of evidence, criminal conspiracy, criminal intimidation and other relevant offences. 

Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Lokesh B Jagalasar said the probe, by the Jayanagar Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) and his team, was completed with a scientific approach. 

On November 19, 2025, six members of the gang, posing as RBI officials, waylaid the cash van of CMS Info Systems in southern Bengaluru, threatened the crew and fled with the large sum. Police cracked the case in 54 hours and recovered most of the money. 

J Xavier, a former employee of CMS Info Systems and accused number 1, was the main planner and conspirator. He knew the “company like the back of his hand”. 

“The robbers mapped a clear route of escape: they would exit Karnataka, enter Andhra Pradesh, then either go to Uttar Pradesh and then to Goa or directly to Goa,” a senior officer said, citing the charge sheet. 

Their end goal was entering Goa and spending the money in casinos and living lavishly. Some of them had run up loans through failed businesses and gambling, which they were planning to clear. However, police arrested them before they could execute their plan. 

“After leaving Bengaluru, some went to Chittoor, then Chennai, Vellore and Hosur, then to Hyderabad,” the officer said. 

The suspects randomly chose a registration plate for their getaway vehicle — a Toyota Innova. The number plate belonged to a Maruti Suzuki Swift owned by PB Gangadhar, 78, a resident of eastern Bengaluru, who was totally unaware of its misuse. 

Annappa Naik, a constable posted at the Govindapura police station and accused number 2, also played a key role, using his access as a policeman. He provided “technical, backend and moral support”, as per the charge sheet. 

Ravi, accused number 4, played a key role in executing the plan, while Gopal Prasad alias Gopi, accused number 3, provided logistical information as he was a fleet/vehicle in-charge at CMS Info Systems, the charge sheet noted. 

“This is one of the cases where we mainly relied on digital evidence like voice records, CCTV footage, phone call records, location and mapping details, etc.,” the officer quoted previously said. 

The investigation team compiled a case file containing 129 pieces of evidence to substantiate the charges: statements from eyewitnesses, crucial technical evidence and forensic evidence, including fingerprints identifying the accused. 

The other accused are Naveen, Nelson, Rakesh, Dinesh and Jinesh. 

The Toyota Innova used by the robbers.