KARACHI: Nine suspects, including three women, were arrested for their alleged involvement in the recent bank robbery case in Kharadar, said officials of the City police on Wednesday.

The suspects included three bank employees, Habib Ahmed, Mushtaq Solangi and Saima Sadaqat, who were allegedly involved in the misappropriation of cash and gold ornaments worth over Rs10 million, said City SSP Adeel Hussain Chandio.

Speaking at a press conference at his office, the officer said three robbers entered Apna Microfinance Bank situated on Napier Road on Tuesday at around 8.35am and took away Rs678,724 cash, gold ornaments, four mobile phones, the pistol of one security guard and the DVR system of the bank at gunpoint.

Subsequently, DIG South Azad Khan constituted a joint investigation team under the supervision of City SSP and SSP SIU/CIA, which succeeded in solving the case within 24 hours by arresting nine suspects and recovered the loot from their custody.

The robbery was orchestrated to avoid audit,say police

SSP Chandio quoted the operations manager of the branch, Habib Ahmed, as telling the police interrogators that he along with two other bankers, Mushtaq Ahmed Solangi and Saima Sadaqat, had misappropriated cash and gold ornaments on different occasions. Since the private bank’s head office had started the audit process, they were fearful of its possible consequences, the held suspect told the investigators. It was for this reason that Saima along with her two friends, Hawwa and Rozina, planned the robbery, the officer said. 

Later, he explained, Hawwa and Rozina talked to the suspect, Rizwan Irshad, who along with his accomplices Abdul Karim, Sultan Khan and Naqash Manzoor committed the robbery.

With technical help of the Special Investigation Unit, the police arrested all nine suspects involved in the robbery, he added.

The officer said three held suspects namely Habib Ahmed, Mushtaq Solangi and Saima Sadaqat worked in the microfinance bank as operations manager, assistant cashier and MCO, respectively, while rest of the suspects were their accomplices in the crime. However, he added, the six accomplices were also involved in different street crimes.

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2017