Have links to Chhota Rajan gang, say Surat police

The Surat police, on Tuesday, intercepted four members of the Shetty gang, believed to be close to the Chhota Rajan gang.

Two revolvers, knives and three cellphones were recovered from them. The four are wanted by the Mumbai police in connection with seven offences of theft and robbery in Gujarat.

Acting on a tip off, sleuths from the Surat Prevention of Crime Branch intercepted a Maruti car (GJ-2R-1840) near Udhna Circle. Four passengers were arrested, while two managed to give the police a slip.

The arrested have been identified as Kangaraj Chinna Swami (58), Suresh Pillai (37), Suresh Pujari (55) – all residents of Mumbai— and Dinanath alias Nandan Jaiswal (53), a resident of Vatwa in Ahmedabad.

During interrogation, the men confessed that they had come to Surat to rob a bank or one of the courier firms (angadias). They were also travelling in a stolen car, the police said.

The gang headed by Kangaraj had arrived in Surat on Saturday and had stayed at a house in Udhna area.

The police said the gang has confessed to have committed many thefts and robberies in different districts and cities in Gujarat. Three months ago, they had robbed a bank of Rs 18 lakh in cash at Sari village in Umargam taluka in Valsad.

Inspector R V Rabari of the Prevention of Crime Branch said: “The gang was active in Mumbai and had committed several robberies there. The Mumbai Crime Branch has been working closely with us. The four were earlier working with Sadanand Swami, who was recently shot dead in an encounter by Pune police.”

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