Patna: Overall 14 banks have been looted in the state since January this year until August 7, the latest is a booty when RS16.76 lakh from the Bank of India branch in Samastipur.
There was also an attempt that failed to loot the PNB branch in Bakhri in the beginning of January 7.
Overall, RS2.56 Crore public money has been looted from banks in the past seven months.
The maximum of four bank booty cases occurred in Samastipur, losing RS31.44 Lakh, followed by three at Muzaffarpur (RS28.59 Lakh), two in Vaishali (RS1.66 Crore) and each in Bhojpur, Munger, Nawada, Begusarai and West Champaran where RS2.48 Lakh, RS5.54 Lakh, RS14.35 Lakh, Rs5.85 Lakh and RS1.98 Lakh are looted, respectively.
When contacted, Samastipur Sp Manavjit Singh Dhillon said the police had restored the RS7.79 lakh looted from the SBI Tajpur branch on May 19 and RS1.16 Lakh from Bank Canara branch in Bikrampur Bande on April 29.
“Eleven people from the gang were involved in both cases were arrested.
The same gang had looted RS1.19 Crore from the main HDFC Bank Branch in Hajipur in Vaishali on June 10,” he said.
Dhillon said two people arrested and two people avoided the arrest of Rs 5.29 lakh from the SBI branch in Jitwarpur Chouth on 3.
“We are investigating the booty lakh RS16.76 on Saturday,” he added.
Vaishali SP Maneesh, when contacted, said more than RS1.02 Crore looted from the HDFC Bank had recovered.
“All who were accused of, who were also involved in the case of Bank Samastipur, was arrested,” he said.
He said at least ten people had been arrested for looting Rs 47.54 lakh from the Bank Axis branch in Kanchanpur in the Liveur police station area on January 28.
“However, only around RS6-7 lakh from the money looted can be restored,” SP said.
He said criminals spent money to enjoy because they were young people without a history of involvement in the case of booty such as Muzaffarpur SSP Jayant Kant could not be contacted on three bank downsizing when he decided to call.
In addition to bank dakoitas and booty cases, criminals also managed to target non-banking financial companies and ATM kiosks throughout the state where they have been determined to a large amount of money.
Criminals looted RS7.32 Lakh from Small Financial Bank Utkarsh in Nandan Village under the Dumraon Police Station in Buxar and 2kg Gold ornaments worth around RS93 Lakh and RS3.36 Lakh in cash from the Ashirvaad gold loan company in Wazirganj Market in style August 3 on August 3.
These two turn on one day only numbered RS1.03 Crore.