Dismissed Maharashtra police officer arrested for ₹36.48 crore bank robbery
Police recovered cash and 27 kg of gold ornaments following a daylight heist at a State Bank of India branch in Jalgaon.
A dismissed police sub-inspector, Shankar Ramesh Jasak, allegedly masterminded a daylight robbery at a State Bank of India (SBI) branch in Bhokar village, Jalgaon, on October 31, according to the Hindustan Times. Jasak, 42, was arrested along with three accomplices within hours of the incident, which occurred between 2:45 pm and 3:15 pm.
The group, wearing helmets and face coverings, reportedly entered the bank armed with pistols, knives, and wooden sticks. They allegedly threatened the manager, cashier, and other staff before forcing them to open lockers and tying their hands and mouths. The stolen property, including cash and approximately 27 kg of gold ornaments, is valued at ₹36.48 crore.
Jalgaon Superintendent of Police Shrikant Dhivare said the accused fled after the bank's emergency alarm was triggered. Villagers and local police patils pursued the suspects towards Dharangaon, where the group allegedly discarded four bags containing valuables near Chavalkheda. All four suspects were eventually apprehended after resisting arrest, during which some police personnel sustained minor injuries.
Investigators believe Jasak planned the heist with Gajanan Rajendra Pawar, 32, whom he met while in Jalgaon district prison. The other two arrested were identified as Ankush Tulsiram Pawar, 26, and Ankush Shravan Chavan, 30. Police have seized two vehicles and the weapons used in the crime.
Jasak was removed from the Maharashtra Police in 2023 after being implicated in a ₹3.17-crore robbery at an SBI branch in Jalgaon city. He had previously been suspended in 2018 following an Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) case in Mahad.