7 UP cops dismissed for their role in Rs 1.4 cr robbery

Varanasi, June 12 Seven policemen have been dismissed from the Uttar Pradesh Police for being allegedly involved in robbing Rs 1.4 crore from an employee of a Gujarat-based businessman in the Bhelupur area of Varanasi district, police said.

This comes two days after six persons, including two policemen, were arrested for their alleged involvement in kidnapping and robbing a Banda-based businessman in Auraiya district.

Among the seven policemen dismissed from the services are one Station House Officer and three Sub-Inspectors SHO Rama Kant Dubey, Sub-Inspectors Sushil Kumar, Mahesh Kumar, and Utkarsh Chaturvedi, and Constables Mahendra Kumar Patel, Kapil Dev Pandey, and Shivchand. All were posted at the Bhelupur police station in Varanasi district.

While police said their investigation into the Rs 1.4 crore robbery case is still ongoing and they have arrested four persons so far, they are yet to book the seven dismissed policemen.

Additional Commissioner of Police (Varanasi), Santosh Kumar Singh, said: "The seven policemen were initially suspended for negligence and later during the probe they were found to be involved in criminal activity. They have been dismissed from police services. The investigation into the robbery case is going on and on the basis of evidence collected, action will be taken against them."

On May 31, Varanasi police claimed to have recovered Rs 92.94 lakh cash from an abandoned car in the Bhelupur area.

Suspecting foul play, senior police officials ordered a preliminary inquiry into the incident.

During the probe, police came to know that on May 27, a Gujarat-based businessman's employee, who was staying at a rented flat in Bhelupur, was robbed.

Police contacted the Gujarat-based businessman and his staff who confirmed that the recovered cash was the part of money looted from the rented flat on May 27, said a police officer.

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