Ahmedabad: Airport police have arrested eight people, including an airline security in-charge and staff members, in connection with the theft of gold parcels worth Rs 2.58 crore from an Akasa Air flight operating between Ahmedabad and Bengaluru. Police have also recovered cash, gold bars, silver biscuits, and valuables worth over Rs 1.72 crore while uncovering the conspiracy behind the high-value theft.

According to investigators, the accused allegedly hatched a detailed conspiracy involving airline staff and ground personnel to steal the gold parcels. Police said the group had initially attempted a similar theft in March but failed. They later executed the plan successfully before being traced and arrested by airport police.

Zone-4 DCP Atul Bansal said Akasa Air security in-charge Zaid Ansari, airline cleaning in-charge Roshan Patel, and Sultan Sama of Junagadh were the key masterminds behind the operation.

According to the investigation, one of the accused booked a ticket as a passenger on the Ahmedabad-Bengaluru flight. When seven parcels were being moved from cargo through the empty passenger compartment, the gold parcel was allegedly placed in the trolley of loader Jayesh Parmar and later handed over to Saleh Mohmand Ansari, who was travelling as a passenger.

Police said that after reaching Bengaluru, the gold was taken out of the airport and later brought back to Ahmedabad. Investigators revealed that the stolen gold was subsequently processed and converted into smaller pieces weighing around 100 to 150 grams each to avoid detection.

The arrested accused have been identified as Zaid Ansari, Roshan Patel, Kuldeep Patel, Saleh Mohmand Ansari, Ravikant Bagiya, gold buyer Kiran Pawar, and Shankar Marathi, among others.

DCP Bansal further said the accused had planned similar theft attempts on three occasions, including in March, within the airport’s high-security zone. However, the earlier attempts reportedly failed due to the heavy presence of staff and loaders.

Police said it had been decided that Zaid Ansari would receive the largest share from the sale proceeds of the stolen gold. During the investigation, valuables worth between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 3 lakh were recovered from various accused, while the highest-value recovery was allegedly made from Ansari.

Airport police said further investigation is underway, and efforts are being made to recover additional valuables linked to the case and arrest four more accused. DeshGujarat