Late last month, seven people were detained on suspicion of defrauding a foreign currency merchant of Rs 75 lakh. On August 28, three motorcycle-borne men had robbed two bags, containing Rs 50 lakh and Rs 25 lakh, from two employees of Dhaval Panchal, who operates his foreign exchange business in Malad, the official said.
The two employees were carrying to bags to the house of Panchal's business partner Bhavik Patel. The robbery, in which the accused brandished a knife, took place close to Patel's home in Marve Road area, he said.
After a police case was registered, a probe zeroed in on Prateek Bhojane (30), one of the two employees who was robbed that day. It was found that he had hatched the plan and had got some persons with criminal backgrounds to carry out the robbery, the official.
Bhojane was assisted in the planning by Indre. From Mumbai, Lonavala, Pune, Nashik, Raigad, and Jalna, all seven were present. As a result of their interrogation, more arrests are most likely. A recovery of Rs 15 lakh of the stolen funds has been made, and efforts are being made to find the remaining funds, according to a Malad police station official.