Mohammad Asif

In a dacoity case, three robbers entered the office of M/S N.B. Enterprise, the distributor of Johnson & Johnson products at about 19:00 hours on December 27, 2011, while two others stood guard at the office entrance.

They looted Rs.90,000 in cash, and one Nokia X-6 mobile phone at gun-point after threatening the complainant Dilip Kanti Biswas (65- year- old), his son and other staff members. Before decamping with the booty from the office located on the ground floor of 1/2, Banamali Ghoshal Lane P.S.-Behala, Kol-34, they told everyone to keep quiet.

Later a case No. 622 was registered with the Behala P.S dated 27.12.2011 u/s-120B/395/397 IPC & 25(1B)(a) /27 Arms Act.

The probe team swung into action with the lead taken by the anti-dacoity and robbery squad of the Kolkata Police.

However, investigations revealed that one of the employees, Prabir Mondal, was missing from duty on the day of the incident.

Suspicion grew on him and his activities were kept under surveillance. On prolonged interrogation, Prabir broke down and narrated the entire story.

Spilling the beans, Prabir said he along with five others namely Kaushik Das aka Jaga, Hemanta Halder, Sekhar Das, Raja Roy and Honey had hatched the loot conspiracy. Prabir Mondal was arrested on 20.01.2020, and based on the information given by him, raids were conducted at Behala and New Alipore areas that led to the arrest of others.

1] Kaushik Das aka Jaga (26) S/o Sri Gobinda Das of 69/20 Satyen Roy Road, P.S. Behala, Kol-34

2] Hemanta Halder (23) S/o-Sri Anatha Halder of 23/2 Bhupen Roy Road, P.S. Behala, Kol-34

3] Probir Mondal aka Kota (24) S/o Lt. Palan Mondal @ Dhine Mondal, of 23/2 Bhupen Roy Road, P.S. Behala, Kolkata -34

4] Shekhar Das (31) aka Raju. S/o- Ajit Das of 1/B Mondal Temple Lane, Kol- 53, P.S- New Alipore.

5]Raja Roy (25) s/o- Lt Bablu Roy of 1/B Mondal Temple Lane, Kol- 53, P.S- New Alipore.

A part of the looted amount, the firearms and two motorcycles used in the crime were seized. The culprits were later identified in the T.I. Parade. The chargesheet was submitted against all the accused within the statutory period.

The case was tried in the Court of Ld. Additional District Judge, 12th court, Alipore. After the trial, the judge found all the accused guilty and passed an order on 21/11/2020 as follows:

The convict Sekhar Das, already undergoing imprisonment during the investigation and trial process, is sentenced to nine years jail for the offence punishable u/s 397 IPC. The convict Sekhar Das is sentenced to two years jail for the offence punishable u/s 25(1B)(a) of Arms Act and to pay a fine of Rs. 1,000 and additional simple imprisonment for another 15 days in case of failure to pay the fine.

The convicts Kaushik Das, Hemanta Halder, Prabir Mondal and Raja Roy, already undergoing imprisonment during investigation and trial, are sentenced to nine years in jail for the offence punishable u/s 120B/395 IPC and to pay a fine of Rs. 5,000 each or suffer simple imprisonment for another 2 months in case of failure to pay the fine.

All the sentences will run concurrently.

Shri Sanfiraj Ali was the Public Prosecutor and Sub-Inspector Nirupam Nath of Anti dacoity & Robbery Squad, DD was the I.O. of the case.

Motive for crime

Supratik Bandyopadhyay, the OC of Anti-Dacoity Squad and Sub Inspector Nirupam Nath, IO of the case told the Protector that Prabir Mondal was addicted to ‘ganja’ and in dire need of money. He was acquainted with Kaushik as both belonged to the same locality. They planned to commit robbery in the office where Prabir worked and they roped in their accomplices

Prior to the incident, Prabir had taken Kaushik to his office.”