Mumbai: Motivated by 'Money Heist', ICICI bank manager steals Rs 34 crore; arrested

After seeing the world-renowned criminal thriller web series 'Money Heist,' a bank cash manager cleaned his own bank vault.   There was a theft of Rs 34 crore from the vault of the ICICI Bank in the MIDC region of Dombivli a few months back. In this case, the police have arrested a bank manager who allegedly stole Rs 34 crore from the bank's safe.

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Dombivli's MIDC neighbourhood is home to an ICICI Bank branch. The accused, Altaf Shaikh, was employed as the bank's manager of cash custodian services. About a year ago, he saw the 'Money Heist' online series and plotted to steal the bank to fast amass a fortune for which he  collected all the necessary equipment. One day he saw the AC repair work next to the safe room of the bank and he started planning from here. 

Altaf Shaikh first studied the loopholes in the security system and then collected the material required for robbery. He threw the money on a tarpaulin tied to the back of the bank building through the hole of the AC duct.

After reporting the disappearance of the bank's CCTV DVR to upper management, an inspection of the safe deposits followed. But while the police were looking into the matter, he phoned his three buddies, Qureshi, Ahmed Khan, and Anuj Giri, and gave them roughly 12 crores (out of a total of 34 crores). He then filed a theft report with the authorities.

After launching an investigation, police eventually apprehended the three suspects and recovered Rs 5 crore in cash from their possession. After a two and a half month inquiry, the bank's cash custodian manager, altaf Shaikh, was detained in Pune on the basis of information provided by the three accused. 

So far, the cops have confiscated almost Rs 9 crore. Shaikh, his sister Nilofar, and five other suspects were nabbed in a combined operation between thane and Navi Mumbai police.