Ahmedabad: An employee working in a bullion firm decamped with 25 kg gold worth Rs 13.5 crore of his employer in Jan. this year, the later alleged. The businessman said that he delayed the police complaint in the matter following assurances by the father of the accused to trace his son. The businessman has now filed a fresh police complaint after which police have launched a manhunt to nab the accused.
The accused has been identified as Yash Chiragbhai Pandya, a resident of Tragad, working as an employee with the bullion trader 42-year-old Vijaybhai Thumar from Nikol area of Ahmedabad city. Thumar, who has offices in Hanumante Bullion and Manekchowk located on CG Road, has lodged a complaint with the police saying Pandya had decamped with 25 kg gold on Jan. 19 this year which he was to dispatch in Mumbai.
Thumar said that he is into bullion trade for last three years. He said that Yash Pandya' father Chirag Pandya was known to him for years and Yash Pandya was hired on his recommendation two years ago. Thumar said he purchased 25 kg gold worth Rs 13.50 crore from Surat-based Unique Enterprises in three consignments on Jan. 15, 16 and 17 this year.
On Jan. 19, Thumar sent Pandya to Mumbai with the gold consignment. Thumar's businessman friend Parth Narendrakumar Shah, Shah's brother-in-law Aditya and workmate Mehul also accompanied Pandya. Thumar said that on Jan. 19, he went to CTM Express Highway to see them off after which Pandya and others left Laxmi Travels bus at 11 pm.
He said a bag containing 10 kg gold was given to Aditya Shah, and another bag containing 15 kg gold was given to Yash Pandya. Thumar said that on the morning of 20 Jan. , Aditya Shah, the businessman's friend's brother-in-law, called him and told him that the bus of Lakshmi Travels had stopped for tea and breakfast at a hotel Chaudhary Palace between Bharuch and Ankleshwar.
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The businessman's friend's brother-in-law said that he went to the washroom and found on return that Yash Pandya had escaped with the bag full of gold in a car. Thukar said he immediately called Yash Pandya but found his phone switched off. He said he called Yash Pandya's father Chirag Pandya and told him about the matter.
Thumar said Yash's father said that he will find his son and will return the 25 kg gold saying that he will meet Thumar in person. According to Thumar, Yash's father requested him no to file a complaint. Thumar said Yash Pandya's father Chirag met him the next day and told him that Yash's phone is switched off and he is no longer in contact with him.
Chirag further told Thumar that he had come to know that Yash had gone to Delhi with his friend Niket Acharya and two or three people in the car he had fled in. When Yash was not traced, Thumar finally lodged a police application on 23 Jan at the Ahmedabad Crime Branch. Subsequent investigation of the case has revealed that Niket alias Chintu Acharya, a resident of Gota, had entered into a criminal conspiracy with Yash Pandya, an employee of the complainant businessman to decamp with the gold.
As part of the plan, another accused Deep Rajeshbhai Jha and Niket Acharya's brother-in-law were following the bus in which Yash and others were traveling to Mumbai with the gold. In Bharuch, when the bus stopped at Ankleshwar Hotel Choudhary Palace, the accused along with Yash fled in the car decamping with 25 kg gold from the bus.
The Ahmedabad City Crime Branch has registered a case against five people including Yash Pandya, Niket alias Chintu Acharya, Deep Jha, Moin and Niket Acharya's brother-in-law in the case. DCP Chaitanya Mandlik of Ahmedabad Crime Branch told ETV Bharat that a case has been registered and investigation launched into the matter.
