Bank robbery videos, Army insiders and arms dealers: Bolarum theft probe reveals wider plot
Investigators say each member had a distinct role, from providing inside information and planning robberies to brokering arms deals and finding prospective buyers
Retired Army Havaldar Upputholla Mallesh allegedly plotted a bank robbery involving firearms weeks before stealing weapons from an Army unit in Secunderabad Cantonment. According to investigators, Mallesh shared bank robbery videos with his cousin and an associate to learn how such heists were carried out. He had built a network comprising serving Army personnel, prospective robbers, and arms dealers before the theft on August 30, 2026.
Mallesh joined the Army in 2010 and served in several locations, including West Bengal and Meghalaya. However, he had a criminal history before his Army career, involving two theft cases. After retirement, Mallesh struggled financially and eventually turned to armed robbery for quick money. He befriended a fellow soldier and his batchmate, who were aware of his plan since July.
Mallesh conducted reconnaissance of the Bolarum premises six times and befriended a guard, Naik Vinod Kumar, to obtain detailed information about the facility. Cell tower data also showed Mallesh and Vinod meeting multiple times. Mallesh allegedly stole weapons from his former Army unit and planned the theft, while the arms dealers, Birbal Shaw and Avi Dey, allegedly supplied Mallesh with country-made firearms.
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