SBI heist ‘mastermind’ sent to Surat jail, police say will seek custody

2 min readSuratJun 7, 2026 08:54 AM IST

Gangster Kundan Kumar alias Kundan Bhagat. (File Photo)

WANTED CRIMINAL Kundan Bhagat, who was recently arrested by the Surat Police on a transfer warrant from a jail in Bihar, was produced before the district court on Saturday, with the police seeking his custody. The court, however, turned down the police remand application and sent him to judicial custody in Surat central jail.

Police said Bhagat (29), conspired to loot over Rs 50 lakh from a State Bank of India (SBI) branch in Surat’s Varachha area, on April 27. He was brought to Surat after his arrest.

On Saturday, amid tight security arrangements, Bhagat was produced before the Surat district Judicial Magistrate First Class Court of Judge V K Charan.

After reviewing the police remand grounds and case documents, the judge turned down the police remand application.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Surat Zone 1, Alok Kumar said, “The case diary was not proper, as a result of which the police remand application was declined by the judge. Police told the court that we would rectify the errors, but that request was also denied. We will move a fresh police remand application in the sessions court on Monday.

The robbery took place on April 27, when five-six armed suspects entered the SBI branch in Varachha. The suspects held the office staff and customers hostage and looted over Rs 50 lakh before escaping on motorcycles, police said.

Till date, the Surat police arrested three accused involved in the robbery: Shubham Thakur (24) and Vikramjeet Rajput (30), both from Uttar Pradesh, on May 7, and Miteshkumar Rai, from the North Champaran area in Bihar, on May 30.

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Bhagat’s name cropped up during interrogation of the arrested accused.