₹15 crore bank heist directed from Nepal:5 accused used internet calls; conducted month-long recce before executing robbery in Singrauli

A major breakthrough has emerged in the ₹15 crore robbery at the Bank of Maharashtra in Singrauli on April 17, with police uncovering a Nepal connection. Investigations reveal that a handler based in Nepal was coordinating the five accused and remained in constant contact with them through internet calling during the heist. Police sources indicate that the accused conducted a detailed recce of the bank for nearly a month while staying in the district. However, officials have refrained from speaking on record. One accused, Kamlesh Kumar, is currently in police remand. Accused from Bihar and Jharkhand The main accused, Funtush alias Nanki, is a resident of Nalanda district. Another accused, Rajesh Kumar, hails from Giridih district, while Pankaj Sharma is from West Singhbhum district. The identity of the fifth accused, Chhotu (19), is still unclear. Police have formed 10 special teams to arrest the remaining suspects. Rented room used as base During interrogation, Kamlesh revealed that three accused had rented a room about 35 km from the district headquarters, near a mosque in the Morwa police station area. From there, they would travel daily to Baidhan for surveillance of the bank. He added that different members stayed in the room at different times between February and March. The robbery date was pre-planned as April 17, with two additional accused arriving in Singrauli three days before the crime. Minimal direct contact among accused Investigators found that the accused did not know each other closely. They were only aware that a handler in Nepal was controlling the operation. All communication was done via internet calls, with no use of messages or social media, making it difficult for police to extract detailed information. Young, professional criminals Police say all accused are professional criminals aged between 18 and 22 years. They frequently move across states committing crimes and either get arrested and jailed or escape and plan further crimes elsewhere. Kamlesh had recently been released from jail in Bihar before participating in the Singrauli robbery. He was the one who entered the bank wearing a helmet. Bank manager recounts ordeal Bank manager Karuna Bachhar, speaking off-camera, said: As soon as they entered, one of them held a pistol to my temple. We had no chance to press the alarm. They threatened to shoot if anyone tried. She added that the terrifying scene still haunts her.
Security guard deployed after incident Since its opening in 2018, the bank had no security guard. Following the robbery and subsequent media coverage, an armed private security guard has now been deployed. Four days after the incident, the bank reopened but witnessed low footfall. Staff members remain visibly shaken and are avoiding public comments. Bank staff under scrutiny Superintendent of Police Manish Khatri said that bank employees have not been given a clean chit yet. “The investigation is ongoing. We are examining staff records, including whether anyone resigned recently,” he said.