Nagpur: Sitabuldi Police recovered the gold chain and a ring collectively worth Rs 4.50 lakh looted by three car-borne tricksters, including a self-styled tantrik, from leading industrialist Ramesh Mantri. The recovery was made from a place near Ahmedabad with the assistance of Gujarat Police and one of their informers after three days of the incident and handed them over to Mantri on ‘Supurdnama’ recently.
However, the robbers are still at large. Around 6.20 am on February 25, Mantri (70) was cycling on West High Court Road. In front of Pantaloons Mall, three people came in a white Maruti Alto car and stopped him on the pretext of asking for an address. The man sitting next to the driver’s seat told Mantri that they were carrying ‘Aghori’ Sadhu Baba in the car and searching for a temple or any ashram for a brief stay. When Mantri told him that there was no temple or ashram nearby, he asked him to take ‘darshan’ of the Sadhu Baba who was sitting on the rear seat.
Gold Rate
22 April 2025
With folded hands, Mantri saw the ‘Baba’ on the rear seat and sought blessings. The ‘Baba’ then asked Mantri whether he had a Rs 10 currency note. Mantri took out a note and handed it over to the ‘Baba’ who chanted some mantra and returned it to him saying that he would be benefitted. The ‘Baba’ then asked him whether he had any valuables to perform mantra puja on them. Presuming him to be a real Sadhu, Mantri took out his gold chain and a ring worn by him and handed them over to the ‘Baba.’
As soon as the ‘Baba’ took the gold ornaments from him, the driver accelerated, dragging Mantri up to about 9 ft. Before he could raise an alarm, the tricksters escaped.
According to police, it was challenging for them to trace the car and the tricksters. A team led by Assistant Police Inspector (API) Santosh Kadam probed the case and checked the footage of as many as 150 CCTV cameras. The police team identified the car without a number plate heading towards Amravati. The car then stopped near Wadi and some persons put up a plate bearing registration number (GJ-27/DM-4213) on the vehicle. After verifying the registration number, police contacted Gujarat Police and traced the vehicle owner.
It was alleged that the culprits used the stolen car for committing crimes. The team then visited Ahmedabad for investigation. One of the informers of Gujarat Police, who knew the tricksters, was sent to their hideouts but the accused trio managed to give a slip to the cops. However, the police informer recovered the stolen ornaments from one of their hideouts.
Nagpur Police, who are in constant touch with their Ahmedabad counterparts, would soon bring the culprits to book.
