Man fakes loot complaint to pay off debts

VADODARA: A complaint of loot registered by Dattu Pandya of Gotri Road with Fatehgunj police station turned out to be false. Pandya had told the police on Monday that two persons approached him on a motorbike when he was passing from Polytechnic gate towards Fatehgunj. Pandya claimed that the pillion rider kicked his motorbike and started a fight with him at about 10.45am before snatching his bag full of cash.
"Pandya said he was carrying Rs 1.50 lakh that belonged to the firm he works in. We registered a case and questioned Pandya several times. He was taken to the spot of the alleged crime and posed questions. Pandya kept changing the narrative," city police commissioner Satish Sharma said.
The police suspected him and after sustained questioning, Pandya admitted to have faked the entire incident. He told the police that he and his two accomplices Jagdish Chauhan and Somabhai Bajaniya conspired to register a fake loot complaint to siphon off the cash. Pandya and Chauhan had lost money in gambling and had to pay off the debts.
According to the plan, Pandya carried Rs 23,750 cash in his bag on Monday and his accomplices cornered him near Pandya Bridge and enacted the drama of loot. Jagdish then took the bag and kept it at his home. The cops have recovered Rs 1.5 lakh cash from the accused and the trio has been arrested.