Gang of robbers busted in Delhi, 4 held

The Delhi Police has busted a gang of robbers and arrested four members, including the alleged kingpin, from Karol Bagh, police said on Friday.

A case was registered at Karol Bagh on February 16 after a man reported that he was assaulted and robbed near Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.

According to the police, the victim had come to Karol Bagh from Dwarka for shopping when two men approached him and tried to engage him in conversation.

“They showed him bundles of cash resembling currency notes to gain his confidence and offered to share the amount if he helped deposit it,” the officer said.

When the victim grew suspicious and attempted to walk away towards the hospital, the accused allegedly followed him, pushed him towards a broken boundary wall in a jungle area and assaulted him by hitting his head with a brick.

“The accused snatched his iPhone and fled. An FIR was registered and a team was formed to nab the accused and were arrested. The accused have been identified as Ibrar (23), Suleman (22), Aashiq Khan (27) and Aslam (34), all residents of Bawana. Police said Aslam is the mastermind of the gang,” the officer said.

During investigation, police analysed footage from over 200 CCTV cameras across Karol Bagh, Sonia Vihar and Bawana, tracking a 32-kilometre trail. Call detail record analysis of the robbed phone helped identify the suspects.

The accused were traced in a van near Pitampura and apprehended after a brief chase, the police said. A van used in the crime and the stolen mobile phone were recovered from them.

During interrogation, the accused disclosed that they prepared fake currency bundles with a genuine Rs 500 note placed on top and lured victims into making online payments against the promise of cash. When victims resisted, they resorted to assault and snatching.

“Aslam has multiple previous cases of cheating and theft registered against him, while Suleman is also involved in an earlier criminal case. Further investigation is underway,” the officer said.