Sub-inspector NC Mallikarjun had flashed his police identity card to unnerve a man who had come to exchange scrapped notes for a commission.
Little did he know that this unwitting act will lead to his dismissal from service.
Mallikarjun, attached to the Kalasipalyam police station, four of his constable colleagues — Manjunatha Moggad, L K Girish, Chandrashekar and Anantharaju — and two police informants, Jaffer and Bhaskar, had robbed Gangadhar, a mobile phone shop owner, of Rs 35.5 lakh in 2,000-rupee notes on November 22.
Embarrassed by their involvement in the crime, the state government terminated the five policemen, along with three others, on Wednesday.
Gangadhar was waiting at 8th Mile Road in Peenya, north Bengaluru, to exchange the demonetised currency for 28% commission. He had sourced the cash in scrapped notes from his friends and relatives after striking a deal with Jaffer and Bhaskar who promised to get them exchanged.
The duo, however, tipped off Mallikarjun who decided to rob Gangadhar, presuming that he wouldn't go to police.
The plan
He roped in his four constable colleagues, besides Jaffer and Gangadhar. As per the plan, the five policemen "intercepted" Gangadhar. Flashing his official identity card, Mallikarjun asked him to explain how he got the huge cash. As a nervous Gangadhar fumbled for an answer, the policemen snatched the cash bag and scooted off. Jaffer and Bhaskar also deserted Gangadhar.
Gangadhar was reluctant to go to police as he didn't have valid documents to account for the money. But his friends and relatives, who had given him the money, forced him. In his complaint to the Peenya police, Gangadhar gave a detailed description of the robber policemen.
He said that one of them had flashed his identity card and a revolver. He was alert enough to remember the name on the card and the policeman's physical features. He also recalled seeing a mole on his face.
"These details were crucial in cracking the case," a senior police officer said.
Another senior police officer said, "Had Gangadhar failed to give the name, it would have been difficult to crack the case, as the five men were in plain clothes. They also showed him handcuffs and threatened him with arrest if he didn't part with the money."
The trail
During the investigation, the Peenya police found that the description given by Gangadhar matched Mallikarjun. Investigators also checked the incoming calls in Gangadhar's phone. There were frequent calls from one number which turned out to be Jaffer's. It was later traced to Kalasipalyam.|
"These revelations made us all the more suspicious. Initially, the Peenya police contacted Mallikarjun and asked him if he knows Jaffer. He replied that Jaffer had been picked up for questioning over old thefts. We asked Mallikarjun to hand over Jaffer to us citing an emergency. We questioned Jaffer and he spilled the beans," the officer added.
Mallikarjun and the constables were arrested on December 4. Rs 16 lakh in cash was recovered from them.
'Oblivious' inspector suspended
Kalasipalyam police inspector, Raghavendra Ramanna, has been suspended for not monitoring the activities of his staff. He told the police top brass that he was not aware of the robbery. Mallikarjun had informed him that he was going to Peenya to investigate a theft. But he and the four constables robbed Gangadhar and hushed up the matter, a senior police officer said.