Delhi Police Crack Murder Case Using NHAI Data and CCTV Footage
In a meticulous investigation, Delhi police have successfully solved a murder case by leveraging National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) data and extensive CCTV footage from Yamuna Expressway toll plazas and various locations across Delhi. The case involved the alleged murder of businessman Anroop Gupta, whose disappearance led to a complex trail of betrayal and deception.
The Disappearance and Initial Clues
On February 18, Anroop Gupta left his residence at Radhika Apartments in Dwarka Sector 14 in his car, heading to the canteen he operated at Chhattisgarh Sadan in Sector 13. Several hours later, at 9:40 PM, he reportedly sent a voice note to a friend, requesting a visit to the canteen. Notably, while Gupta's earlier texts were in Hindi, responses were limited to a brief "ok" following the voice note, raising initial suspicions.
Four days later, on February 22, a social media story purportedly showing Gupta in Goa was posted from his account. However, friends and family noticed a facial mole in the photo that they knew had been removed earlier. This discrepancy prompted them to approach the police and file a missing person complaint, setting the investigation in motion.
Investigative Breakthroughs
Police swiftly obtained data from NHAI, revealing that Gupta's car was last seen on the intervening night of February 19 and 20 on the Yamuna Expressway. CCTV footage from toll plazas indicated the vehicle traveled towards Vrindavan and later headed back towards Noida after a few hours. Simultaneously, police checked CCTV footage at Chhattisgarh Sadan and discovered Gupta taking a bike taxi from the location.
Through technical probes and CDR analysis, investigators traced the bike taxi rider, who confirmed that Gupta had been taken to a house in Matiala Extension after leaving his car at the Sadan. Further scrutiny of CCTV footage at Matiala showed Gupta entering the building, but he was not seen exiting. Four other individuals were observed entering the building after him, and later, they were seen using a scooter.
Unraveling the Crime
Delving deeper, sleuths reviewed additional footage and identified Gupta's car entering the basement of the Matiala building on February 19. It was later established that Gupta had informed his friend, Happy, and four aides that his gold rings and bracelet were inside the car parked at the Sadan. The five allegedly forced him to hand over the keys, drove the car to Matiala, retrieved the jewelry, and returned to the flat. The car was subsequently seen exiting the building and heading towards Vrindavan.
Ownership details of the scooter used by the suspects were obtained, revealing it was registered in the name of Happy, a resident of Hansi, Haryana. This discovery proved pivotal, leading to Happy's arrest. During interrogation, Happy confessed to murdering Gupta along with accomplices Bhupender, Balram, Neeraj, and Rakhi.
Suspect Profiles and Arrests
Police identified Bhupender as a 27-year-old native of Sonipat district in Haryana, Rakhi as Happy's 21-year-old live-in partner from Deoria in Uttar Pradesh, and Balram as a 28-year-old from Jhajjar, Haryana. Notably, none of the suspects have previous criminal records. Bhupender was apprehended from Inderlok, Rakhi from Hansi in Haryana, and Balram from Jhajjar, while Neeraj remains absconding. A case has been registered at Bindapur police station.
This investigation highlights the critical role of digital evidence and inter-agency cooperation in solving complex crimes, demonstrating how modern policing techniques can uncover hidden trails and bring perpetrators to justice.
