Hyderabad: Ten days after Telangana police arrested ex-havildar U Mallesh for his alleged role in the sensational weapons heist at the Madras Regiment’s armoury, investigators are probing the suspected involvement of two more Army personnel.
On the night of Aug 30, 12 sophisticated weapons, including AK-203 and INSAS assault rifles, were stolen from the armoury inside Secunderabad Cantonment. After days of probing by multiple agencies, Telangana police arrested Mallesh on Sept 11, after he allegedly confessed to the offence. The Hyderabad Task Force also recovered the weapons near Mallesh’s home in Nagarkurnool. Initial rounds of interrogation had indicated that Mallesh had committed the offence alone — he went to the armoury on a bike and sneaked out the weapons in the dead of night, taking advantage of the lack of CCTV coverage after dark — and later moved the loot to his village in Nagarkurnool. Now, however, police suspect the involvement of more people in the theft.
Coinciding with Monday’s development, meanwhile, a local court granted Bollaram police 10 days’ custody of Mallesh for further interrogation.
As of now, sources said, both Army personnel are being treated as suspects. “Depending on the findings of the investigation over the next 10 days, a decision will be taken on whether to charge the duo,” a source added. Investigators sought his custody, stating that the accused had allegedly committed a grave offence that required an in-depth investigation. The investigation is being conducted predominantly by military officials.
His custodial questioning will begin on Tuesday, sources told TOI.