Accused sold tea at Rs 4 to get bank staff's confidence

Baffling as it may sound, Rishikesh Maninath Barikh, who has been arrested for allegedly being involved in the Canara Bank robbery, actually let go Rs12 lakh when he sneaked into the bank for the first time to rob it. Reason: He wanted Rs50 lakh.

Did not rob in first attempt
Barikh's interrogation by the Ghatkopar police has revealed some interesting details. According to the police, eight days before the robbery at the bank's Ghatkopar branch, Barikh had sneaked into the bank. However, when he realised that the cash available in the coffer was much less than what he had expected, he left empty-handed.
"On that day, he had entered the bank in a raincoat, helmet and he carried an umbrella but he did not rob because there was only Rs12 lakh in the safe. To avoid any suspicion, he locked all the doors properly," said senior police inspector Rajaram Vhanmane.

He became a favourite among officials
The police are surprised with the nature of planning the accused devised. Barikh, who posed as a tea vendor and sold tea inside the bank to do a recce, would actually purchase tea for Rs16 made by another tea vendor and would sell it for Rs4 to the bank employees. "Barikh would actually buy good-quality tea from a local tea vendor for Rs16 a cup and would sell it at a cheaper rate. In no time, he became a favourite among them who would not mind him hanging around in the bank for a long time," said Vhanmane.

He took an employee into confidence
Interestingly, Barikh identified one of the employees who would fit into his scheme of things and who was in possession of the keys to the bank. He confided his plan of robbing the bank to Bhavna Bane, the cash officer. "Barikh had taken Bane into confidence and even told her about his earlier robberies which he carried out in the city. He told Bane that he was never caught and even this time he would not be caught. He also lured her by saying that if she helped him she would get a good share from the robbed amount," said Vhanmane.