Patna, Apr 11 (IANS): The driver of a van transporting Rs 1.5 crore in hard cash for refilling ATMs in Patna city disappeared with the money, an official said on Tuesday.

The incident occurred at Danka Imli Chowk on Monday. The district police managed to trace the van through GPS on NMCH road, but the driver, Suraj Kumar and the cash box containing Rs 1.5 crore were missing.

The police said that custodian Amresh Kumar Singh, cashier Sonu Kumar and Dilip Kumar, gunman Subhash Yadav and driver Suraj Kumar reached ICICI bank Danka Imli Chowk around 3.30 p.m. on Monday. They were assigned the job to withdraw cash from the deposit kiosks and put it into ATM withdrawal kiosks.

"When they reached Danka Imli Chowk, there was a parking issue. Hence, driver Suraj Kumar parked the van some distance away from the bank. The employees, including custodian Amresh Kumar Singh and others went to the bank and asked the driver Suraj Kumar to stay with the van. After half an hour, when they returned to the place, Suraj and the van were missing," said an official spokesperson of Patna police.

The employees repeatedly tried to contact him on the phone, but Suraj Kumar did not respond. Finally, they informed the Patna Police and higher officials of the cash company, named AGS Security Service Agency.

"We tracked the van through GPS and reached there. The van was found empty and its driver missing. We are scanning the CCTV cameras of the place where the van was parked and the place where the driver left the vehicle abandoned. We have also called the FSL team to collect fingerprints and other scientific evidence," said an official spokesperson of Patna police.

The FIR has been registered in the Alamganj police station.

The police are investigating with multiple angles, including that Suraj Kumar could be the mastermind of the heist or was abducted by other criminals at gunpoint who looted the cash from the van. Suraj is a native of Jehanabad district and the Patna Police were conducting raids there to nab him.