Kundan Pahan acquitted in ₹5.17 crore cash, gold heist case due to lack of evidence

THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK

Ranchi: In a significant development, a Ranchi court has acquitted jailed Naxalite leader Kundan Pahan in the sensational 2008 Tamar robbery case involving ₹5.17 crore in cash and 1.5 kg of gold. Additional Judicial Commissioner Anand Prakash delivered the verdict on Monday, citing a lack of concrete evidence.

Prosecution Fails to Prove Case

The prosecution presented testimonies from six witnesses during the trial. However, all of them reportedly failed to identify Pahan as involved in the robbery. With no direct evidence linking him to the crime, the court ruled in favour of acquittal.

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The 2008 Tamar Heist

The robbery occurred on May 21, 2008, when a cash van transporting currency for ICICI Bank was ambushed in Tamar, a region once gripped by Maoist violence. Armed Naxals looted ₹5.17 crore in cash and 1.5 kg of gold from the van, making it one of the most audacious heists in Jharkhand’s history.

A Trail of Blood and Bullets

Kundan Pahan, one of the most feared Naxal commanders in Jharkhand, was allegedly behind several high-profile killings, including the murder of former minister Ramesh Singh Munda, MP Sunil Mahto, and DSP Pramod Kumar Singh. He is also accused of masterminding the Baliva encounter in Chaibasa, where 35 policemen were killed and their weapons looted. Over 100 criminal cases, ranging from murder and kidnapping to extortion and robbery, are registered against him across various police stations in the state.

Surrender and Legal Battles

Once carrying a bounty of ₹15 lakh, Kundan Pahan surrendered to Jharkhand Police in 2017. His surrender marked a turning point in the state’s anti-Naxal operations, but his legal battles have continued within the judicial system ever since.