Bengaluru: The investigations into Rs 83 lakh cash heist masterminded by retired DySP Babu Noronha has revealed that the main accused in the case was the former’s informant while he was in service.

J.P. Nagar police, who had detained Noronha on Wednesday, formally arrested him and produced him before a magistrate on Wednesday night. Noronha and Lohith have been remanded to police custody. Sources said that Noronha gave contradictory statements during his interrogation on Wednesday.

“Though he initially denied involvement in the dacoity, he later confessed that he needed money to repay debts. He claimed he had run up huge bills with his advocate, after he a was accused of fake encounter in which notorious rowdy Sagayam was gunned down in Ramamurthynagar in 2003. The court acquitted him in that case,” an official said.

Later, he reportedly changed his statement saying he had been kidnapped by strangers when he was sitting inside the Skoda used to commit the offence on Novmeber 24.

“He had no answer to why he didn’t file a complaint. Interestingly, he himself had brought the accused Lohith to the station and told the inspector that he knew him. He said Lohith was involved in the dacoity case and that police could question him. When Lohith was grilled, he said Noronha had given him the idea. Immediately, Noronha was detained,” officials added.

Lohith was also Noronha’s informant when he was in service. “Even after his retirement, the two stayed in touch. On November 24, when fake CCB police raided the house of the complainant and decamped with the cash, Noronha had provided his old ID card so victims would believe them to be real cops,” police said. Efforts were on to nab the other absconding accused.