2 months after cash van loot, DCP asks banks, pvt agencies to step up security

Taking lessons from the loot case in Sohna Road on April 18 this year, where in armed robbers looted over ₹96 lakh from the van of a cash collection company from the Subhash Chowk area of Gurugram in broad daylight, the deputy commissioner of police, Gurugram, has issued a host of directions that banks and private security agencies involved in cash remittance need to follow so that loopholes can be plugged and there is no loss of public money, said senior police officials on Thursday.

On the fateful day, four to five miscreants first threw chilli powder on the eyes of the guard and staff present in the van, held them hostage at gunpoint and looted over ₹96 lakh. Due to the alleged callousness of the private security agency involved in the remittance, deputy commissioner of police (headquarters) Astha Modi has issued stern orders that no such activity should take place without high security vans and trained armed guards and staff. Strict penal action would be taken against the establishments for violating the rules.

According to the order issued by the DCP, cash remittance to and from banking institutes must be carried out only inside secured vans having a separate locked area for storing money, GPS tracking system, CCTV cameras and such other security facilities as per the Haryana Private Security Agencies (private security to cash transportation agencies) Rules, 2019. No hired vehicles or taxis should be used for cash remittance, said police.

In the order dated June 21, the DCP has directed that every van involved in remittance must have at least two ATM officers or custodians, two armed security guards besides the driver and all of them should be well trained in cash remittance activities.

Police officials said more guards may be deployed depending on the amount of cash being transported by van and in case any one of the staff have to attend to nature’s call or take a break, at least one guard must remain inside the van.

The order further fixed the responsibility on the banks and agencies to inform Gurugram police control room about any remittance above ₹25 lakh and ask for additional police security if needed. A maximum of ₹5 crore would be allowed for remittance per trip, said official.

The DCP also directed the banking institutes that no private security agency shall be enlisted by them for cash transportation activities until they are licenced under the Haryana Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act, 2005 and there must be a contract between both parties for carrying cash.

Exercising powers vested in the DCP’s position by Section 71 of The Haryana Police Act, 2007, agencies have been directed to conduct police verification and background check of the staff engaged in cash transportation, ensure the staff are certified in performing such activities and should undergo refresher training in every two years, said police.

Officials said cash remittance activities would not take place after 9pm in urban areas and 6pm in rural areas. Bank officials have been asked to fit ATMs with one-time electronic combination locks for reducing instances of crew pilferage losses and frauds. Each bank and ATM must have trained security guards in the premises and CCTV surveillance footage must be stored for at least two months.

When asked, DCP Modi said the Sohna road loot was a clear case of security lapses by the private agency involved in the remittance. “There were no guards in the vehicle. It didn’t have CCTV cameras, GPS or separate locker for cash. Staff were sitting with doors open and the money got looted in 27 seconds,” she said.

Modi said cash was kept merely inside a rucksack and the agency assumed that no one knew about its remittance activities.

“The one who had passed on the information to the criminals in the case knew about these lapses as he was a former employee of the agency. He had actually left the job sensing the threat that anything could happen to him and his team someday during cash remittance due to these lapses,” she said Modi.

The DCP said the callous attitude of the agencies jeopardizes the safety of common man and causes loss of public money.

She said the final decision over the licence cancellation of the firm involved in the Sohna road case on the recommendation of the Gurugram police is still pending.

“Banks have been asked to conduct periodic checks on agencies involved with them. SHOs have also been given the same orders,” said the DCP.