In a dramatic development, Vijayapura district police have apprehended a senior Canara Bank manager and two aides for their role in the theft of nearly 59 kg of gold, valued at ₹53.26 crore, from the bank’s Managuli branch. The daring heist, which took place between May 23 and 25, left banking circles across Karnataka in shock.
Superintendent of Police Laxman Nimbargi identified the arrested as Vijayakumar Mohanara Miriyala (41), Chandrashekar Kotilingam Nerella (38), and Sunil Narrasimhalu Moka (40). The police have recovered ₹10.75 crore worth of gold jewellery and bars, along with two cars used in the operation.
The theft was executed with chilling precision — the suspects broke the main lock, disabled the alarm, and used a duplicate key to access a single gold-filled locker, leaving another untouched. This, according to investigators, signals deep insider knowledge.
Adding an eerie twist, the culprits left behind a black doll, possibly to imply black magic and throw investigators off track. They also removed the CCTV system and planted misleading items in the branch to misdirect the probe.
In response, SP Nimbargi formed eight specialised teams, led by senior officers including additional SPs and deputy SPs, who carried out a scientific investigation using evidence-based methods. The case was booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.
All three were produced in court on June 26, while efforts are ongoing to trace more suspects and unrecovered gold.