Custodian, associate remanded as probe into Rs 51 lakh van robbery continues
JAIPUR — Police investigating the Aug 5 robbery of an ATM cash management van in Bikaner district have arrested the vehicle’s cash custodian and one alleged associate, and said the theft was orchestrated from within the crew. Authorities contend the custodian used his knowledge of schedules and routes to facilitate the seizure of a cash chest carrying ₹51 lakh.
Police said the incident occurred between Nokha and Sarunda when armed men in a Bolero Camper intercepted the cash-collection vehicle, threatened its occupants with a pistol and fled with the cash compartment. Investigators, however, alleged the violence was staged: the van’s custodian allegedly unlocked the compartment after pretending to be held at gunpoint, enabling the assailants to remove the money.
Two men have been arrested. Vikram Singh, identified as the cash custodian employed by the cash-management company and a resident of Charkada village in Nokha, and Shyamsunder Jat of Swarupdesar in Panchu were taken into custody and remanded to police custody for seven days, police said. Two other accused, named as Ashok of Dawan village in Nokha and Manish Prajapat of Deu village in Nagaur district, are absconding and are being traced.
- Robbery date: Aug 5
- Location: between Nokha and Sarunda, near Roda village
- Amount stolen: ₹51 lakh
- Arrested: Vikram Singh, Shyamsunder Jat — remanded seven days
- Absconding: Ashok, Manish Prajapat
Police sources said the four accused had spent about 15 days planning the operation, exploiting Vikram’s intimate knowledge of the cash collection schedule, ATM replenishment route and security procedures. Investigators allege that Vikram altered the van’s planned route after collecting cash from a bank in Nokha, persuading the crew to travel towards Sarunda under the pretext of refilling another ATM before returning.
According to the investigating team, the gang met in Nokha on Aug 4 to finalise the plan. Police further reported that two of the accused — Manish and Shyamsunder — had studied together at an Industrial Training Institute in Nagaur, a detail that helped shape the inquiry into pre-existing connections among the suspects.
| Accused | Village | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Vikram Singh | Charkada (Nokha) | Arrested, remanded 7 days |
| Shyamsunder Jat | Swarupdesar (Panchu) | Arrested, remanded 7 days |
| Ashok | Dawan (Nokha) | Absconding |
| Manish Prajapat | Deu (Nagaur) | Absconding |
Investigators said evidence points to manipulation of the cash replenishment route on the day of the robbery. After collecting cash from the bank in Nokha, the custodian allegedly persuaded the crew to make a trip towards Sarunda with the promise of refilling another machine, rather than depositing the collected cash immediately. Police allege the accused then intercepted the van a few kilometres before Sarunda, near Roda village.
The seizure of the cash chest and the involvement of an insider have raised questions about security protocols followed by cash-management firms operating across the desert districts. Authorities said the probe is continuing to establish the role of each accused, to track the movement of the stolen money and to apprehend the two absconding suspects.
Local residents and bank branches that depend on timely ATM replenishment will await the police outcome; the case highlights the vulnerabilities in cash logistics in Bikaner district and the need for stricter checks on personnel with access to schedules and secure compartments.
