Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch (DB) has arrested five people in connection with the robbery of Tk 1.21 crore from employees of a refueling station at Uttara in the capital while the money was being taken to a bank for deposit.

The arrestees are Md Ilias Shikder, 36, Jafar, 36, Md Robiul Islam alias Rubel, 34, Mintu Rari, 23, and Sagar Baroi, 40.

Four 7.65mm pistols, six magazines, 21 rounds of ammunition, Tk 12 lakh in looted cash, fake RAB identity cards, vests, caps, walkie-talkies, handcuffs, different number plates and a motorcycle were recovered from the arrestees, said Additional Police Commissioner (Detective Branch ) Md Shafiqul Islam at a press briefing at the DMP Media Centre on Saturday.

He said on Aug 9, four employees of DL Filling Station were carrying Tk 1.21 crore to a bank for deposit at around 10:30am.

When they reached the BRT lane near Crown Plaza on Dhaka-Mymensingh Road under Airport Police Station, a group of robbers riding motorcycles intercepted them.

The robbers threatened and assaulted the them with firearms and machetes before fleeing with the money, he said.

Following the incident, the DB and Uttara Crime Division jointly launched an investigation.

Acting on intelligence information, police arrested Ilias Shikder and Jafar from Siddhirganj in Narayanganj.

Based on information provided by them, police raided Ilias’s rented house in Bandar Police Station area and recovered three vests and two caps bearing the RAB name, two number plates, four fake identity cards carrying the RAB monogram, three walkie-talkies, four pairs of handcuffs, two 7.65mm pistols, three magazines and six rounds of ammunition.

Later, Robiul Islam alias Rubel was arrested from Matuail and Mintu Rari from Kajlarpar in Jatrabari.

Police recovered Tk 3 lakh of the looted money from Rubel’s rented house.

A raid on Mintu’s rented house led to the recovery of four RAB-marked vests, two steel and four offset-paper number plates, four fake RAB identity cards, a walkie-talkie set and charger, three pairs of handcuffs, two 7.65mm pistols, three magazines and 15 rounds of ammunition.

Based on information provided by Rubel and Mintu, police later arrested Sagar Baroi from his rented house in Postogola under Shyampur Police Station.Tk 9 lakh of the looted money was recovered from his possession.

In reply to a question, he said Sagar had received Tk 9 lakh as his share but could not spend the money.

The looted money was distributed proportionately among those involved, with the main planners receiving larger shares and others receiving shares for providing different forms of assistance, he added.

Asked whether the firearms used in the robbery had been looted from police, the DB chief said tests showed that none of the weapons had been stolen from police and that they had been collected illegally.

Regarding the mastermind, Shafiqul said the main organiser was still at large. A clearer picture of the planning would emerge after his arrest, he said.

He said there was no information so far about any prior personal acquaintance between the mastermind and the victim.

Three of the arrestees were directly involved in the incident on the day of the robbery, he said.

Asked how the criminals selected the day and place, Shafiqul said the investigation found that money collected by the petrol station had remained there for several days because of bank holidays.

The criminals learned that a large amount of money would be deposited after the holidays and planned the robbery accordingly, he said.

The DB chief said all the arrestees were professional criminals and accused in multiple cases. Sagar Baroi has at least 13 cases against him, while the fugitive mastermind is believed to have more than 20 cases.