Bengaluru cash van heist: Elderly car owner gets shocked after robbers misuse car's number

Bengaluru: Seventy-eight-year-old P B Gangadhar had the shock of his life when cops came knocking on Wednesday. 

Living a quiet retired life in eastern Bengaluru with his wife, Gangadhar was perplexed when cops asked to see his car's documents.

Assuming that it was about pending traffic fines, Gangadhar did as asked and showed the documents to the traffic police inspector who was accompanied by three-four police personnel.

"I showed them the documents and they took the required photographs. They didn't tell me about the robbery. when I asked, they said the registration plate had been misused, without giving details. I thought they were checking for violations or pending fines," said Gangadhar.

It was only after the police left that Gangadhar realised the reason for their visit. "I was shocked to learn about the robbery when I turned on the TV. I was scared," Gangadhar told DH. 

Gangadhar owns the Maruti Suzuki Swift whose number plate was misused by robbers who fled with Rs 7.11 crore from a cash van in a brazen heist.

The Bengaluru resident said he stopped driving the car long ago. 

Gangadhar, who worked for five years at Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML), spent a decade in Dubai and later ran a hardware business in Bengaluru, bought the hatchback in 2018. The car now remains parked at his house. 

"The robbers may have randomly swiped my number plate. I don't take that car out anymore since I have health issues. For 10 years now, I've been mostly at home. Our only daughter, who lives abroad, supports us," he said. 

A six-member gang posing as RBI officials arrived in a grey metallic Toyota Innova and intercepted a CMS Info System cash van near the Ashoka Pillar in Jayanagar between 12.30 pm and 1 pm on November 19. The van, carrying cash from HDFC Bank's JP Nagar branch, was headed towards Lalbagh's Siddapura Gate. 

The gang forced the three crew members into their car but deboarded them midway.

The van driver was asked to wait at the Dairy Circle flyover, where the gang allegedly threatened him at gunpoint, transferred the cash boxes into the Innova and drove off. This was one of the biggest robberies the city has ever seen. 

The Innova bore the registration number of Gangadhar's Swift.