'Friendly' probing does the trick

With some meticulous probing the police could unravel the mystery of the biggest heist amounting to over Rs. 21 lakhs, writes K. SRINIVAS REDDY.

THE KNACK of ferreting out information from a suspect is an art. If the interrogator is a patient man, a prime requisite for the success of any police officer, more and more pieces of information -- often unrelated -- would keep tumbling out. Collating and later co-relating them would lead to some fantastic results. But all this is for a scientific investigator. A crude investigator would invariably short circuit the interrogation by using third degree and would end up with bits and pieces of information relating to only a particular case.

This was amply proved when officers at Panjagutta police station began investigating `ventilator offences'. There were three similar offences in one particular locality -- the modus operandi adopted was similar. Entry into business establishments was by cutting open the grills of ventilators and later entering the premises. In one particular shop, the intruders bolted with a booty of Rs. 21.94 lakhs in cash. By any standard, this was the gravest crime to be reported in the recent times.

There were no clues. No finger prints. Only one print which could be lifted at the ventilator was also smudgy. The way the intruders entered the building appeared to be a most professional one. The case was to remain as a watertight crime for the next two months. But as luck would have it, there were two more similar offences in the nearby vicinity, but the property lost was insignificant.

Was there a gang in operation? The investigators were getting jittery. There was no progress in the probe. Their first breakthrough came when the police teams could gather descriptive particulars of two youngsters who were found lurking near the buildings which had been burgled. Armed with mere descriptions, a massive manhunt was launched and the plainclothes police teams did some marvellous job in identifying two youngsters. When they were picked up for questioning, the duo spilled the beans and confessed to their involvement in two burglaries.

But what about the biggest burglary where Rs. 21.90 lakhs was stolen? The duo pleaded innocence. And the interrogators were caught on the horns of a dilemma. Going by the similar modus operandi, these two in custody should have also been involved in the biggest burglary. But going by the way they were pleading innocence, the police were convinced that they were not involved in this crime.

It was at this juncture, they began enquiring with the duo about other burglars. Perhaps, they knew who pulled off the biggest heist. The `friendly' questioning immediately yielded results. They were not sure of who could have committed the burglary, but surely they noticed three persons of their locality spending money lavishly for the last 60 days. They had no ostensible means of earning such a large money.

Police officers were curious about this revelation. Any insignificant piece of information could not be overlooked, considering the money stolen and surely they gathered some more information and picked up the trio -- Akhil, Sirajuddin and Aizaz -- while they were moving in a recently purchased Maruti omni. Where did they get money to purchase the van? The single question led to detection of the biggest case in the station history. They confessed to breaking into the shop and taking away the cash. They did not expect to find such a huge amount, but they seemed to have had the beginners' luck.

Having noticed the cash and being unsure of how much to take, they took Rs. 21.90 lakhs and left almost Rs. 8 lakhs in cash as they could not carry the bundles. Once they came out, they bought two Ambassador cars, two motorcycles and a van. But to their ill- luck, the casual observation of other two alleged burglars brought an end to their beginners' luck. The trio was arrested and Rs. 10.40 lakhs in cash was seized in addition to the vehicles. All the three are now in judicial remand.

(This case was investigated by Inspectors M.Venkateshwar Rao, Venugopal Rao and Sub-Inspector S. Rajasekhar Rao of Panjagutta police station).

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