Theft of smuggled gold: CID serves notice to IGP and DySP

The CID has issued notices to senior police officers in connection with the theft of 4.9 kg of gold which was being smuggled from Mangaluru to Mumbai via Belagavi.

Belagavi (Karnataka): A CID notice has been issued to senior police officers in connection with the theft of 4.9 kg of gold which was being smuggled from Mangaluru to Mumbai via Belagavi. Sources have confirmed that CID notice has been issued to former Belagavi North Zone IGP Raghavendra Suhas, former Gokaka DySP Javed Inamdar, Hukkeri former CPI Gururaj Kalyanashetty and Yamakanamaradi former PSI Ramesh Patil. As the case comes to light, all the senior officials who have been transferred after the incident will have to face a CID investigation now.

The kingpin of the case, Kiran Veeranagowder, son of a former DySP, is already in the custody of CBI. On June 6, CID officers detained Kiran Veeranagowder in Hubballi. The third additional district court in Belagavi had issued a 14-day CID custody order. During the investigation, it was revealed that Kiran revealed the names of police officers involved in the case. Based on his statement, the CID has now issued a notice to several police officials, including the IGP.

What's the case?

Mangaluru-based Tilak Poojari was smuggling 4.9 kg of gold to Mumbai. The vehicle carrying gold was seized by Yamakanamaradi Station police on January 9. Tilak Poojari took the help of Kiran Veerangauder to release the vehicle. Kiran had also received Rs 25 lakh in advance from Tilak. However, the 4.9 kg of gold in the vehicle's airbag was missing when the fine was paid and the vehicle released from court. Tilak Poojari complained to former Belagavi IGP Raghavendra Suhas regarding this. IGP had directed SP Laxman Nimbaragi to investigate the case. The investigation revealed that the gold in the airbag of the car was stolen and sold by Kiran Veerangauder and Gokaka DySP Javed Inamdar.