KARACHI, Jan 19: The Special Investigation Unit of the police on Saturday claimed to have arrested a key suspect of a Rs3 million bank robbery committed earlier this month.

A senior official said Saeedullah alias Bakri was arrested after a brief encounter in Mominabad, Orangi Town, and Rs245,000 was seized from him with firearms.

“He masterminded and committed the bank robbery on March 5 in the Saeedabad area, where he with his at least five accomplices stormed into a UBL branch, held the staff hostage and walked off with more than Rs3 million,” said Raja Umer Khattab, the SIU SP.

“The findings of the initial investigations would help trace his more aides. It seems they have been operating as an organised gang in the city for the last several months.”

He said the total amount looted from the UBL branch was Rs3.2 million besides some prize bonds and foreign currency. The suspects got the share and the police seized Rs245,000 of that from his possession, he added.

“An FIR (133/2011) under Sections 392 (punishment for robbery) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code  had already been lodged,” added the SP.