From precious stones to expensive SUV — he had it all, but lost with the biggest cash loot case in the state.

Even the best of astrologers could not save Sanjiv Kumar alias Pappu Singh, the Nalanda police constable, who believed in tantric power to get over his numerous misdeeds. The alleged mastermind of many a bank loot — at least six cases have been filed against him across three districts of Saran, Vaishali and Saran — ran out of luck during a test identification parade at Chhapra divisional jail on Tuesday.

Even senior policemen were surprised to know that while in uniform, Sanjiv used to serve as bodyguards of IPS officers. Off khaki, he turned out to be an expert in loots and robberies, including the Rs 1.25-crore one in Saran’s Baniapur on April 3. Sanjiv, earlier deputed as the security guard of a Nalanda deputy superintendent of police, has been charged with hatching the conspiracy. Earlier, he had served as the bodyguard of an IPS officer, then posted as the Vaishali superintendent of police.

Sanjiv, 45, was arrested from Biharsharif in Nalanda district on April 7.

Saran deputy inspector-general (DIG) Binod Kumar said two homeguard jawans — Kusheshwar Sharma and Narayan Mahto — who had received bullet injuries in their attempt to foil the incident, identified Sanjiv during the TI parade establishing his role in the April 3 incident of looting the cash in possession of Punjab National Bank. “Now, the police have sufficient evidence to prosecute the constable for his role in the loot case,” the DIG said, adding that the investigating officer had been asked to take the constable on police remand for further questioning.

This is not the first time when Sanjiv’s name has figured in any criminal offence. The DIG said: “At least five criminal cases of serious nature are pending against the constable in Saran and Siwan districts. Even departmental proceedings were initiated against him but he managed to hoodwink the officials.”

Pankaj Darad, the inspector-general of police of Tirhut zone under whose jurisdiction Saran district falls, expressed surprise over Sanjiv staying in the job even after being chargesheeted in criminal cases. “We are trying to find out how he continued to serve the home department despite being chargesheeted in several criminal cases,” he told The Telegraph on the phone from Muzaffarpur on Wednesday.

He said he had already issued instructions to gather detailed information about his activities from the districts he had earlier served.

A deputy superintendent of police, who was earlier posted in Saran district, said that Sanjiv was awarded five years’ rigorous imprisonment by a Chhapra court in July 2011 in connection with a case related to possession of narcotics. Besides Sanjiv, three others were convicted and awarded punishment, he added.

He added that the constable was convicted in the case (No. 04/2009) lodged with Bhagwan Bazar police station in Saran district. Sanjiv was arrested but he managed a bail from Patna High Court. “He moved the high court against the lower court verdict,” the officer revealed.

Saran additional superintendent of police Ravindra Kumar said that Sanjiv was spotted moving in an SUV, which overtook the vehicle that was carrying the bank officials and the homeguard jawans on April 3. The bags containing the money were, however, taken away by motorcycle-borne criminals after causing injuries to the jawans, he added.

Saran superintendent of police Sujeet Kumar said that Sanjiv was expert in bank robberies. “We have come to know that he was involved in about a dozen incidents of loot in Saran, Vaishali and Siwan,” he said.