Delhi Police has made a significant breakthrough in a high-value theft case, arresting a member of an interstate gang more than a month after jewellery worth over Rs 1 crore was stolen from a parked car in the bustling Karol Bagh area.
The Daring Daylight Robbery
The incident dates back to November 14, when a jewellery trader, Shubham Kotawala, became the victim of a well-planned theft. Kotawala had just collected 62 pieces of gold and diamond jewellery, along with their grading certificates, from the International Gemological Institute (IGI) laboratory in Karol Bagh. He placed the valuable bag inside his car and stepped away briefly for some urgent work at a nearby shop.
Upon his return, he was met with a shattered window and the bag containing the precious items missing. The trader immediately filed a complaint, leading to the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) at the Karol Bagh police station under Section 305 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The Investigation That Led to the Arrest
A dedicated police team launched an extensive investigation, scouring footage from nearly 90 to 100 CCTV cameras installed in and around the crime scene and the connecting roads. They also questioned several known offenders with a history of similar crimes. The meticulous probe eventually steered the investigators towards a gang based in Trichy (Tiruchirappalli), Tamil Nadu, known for its modus operandi of targeting vehicles parked near jewellery markets by breaking window panes.
Through intelligence gathering and technical surveillance, the police zeroed in on a suspect, T Sarath Kumar (31), a resident of Tamil Nadu. A team from the Anti-Extortion and Kidnapping Cell of the Crime Branch apprehended Kumar on December 15 near the Nizamuddin Railway Station in Delhi.
Criminal Profile and Recovery
During interrogation, it was revealed that Sarath Kumar is a school dropout and a habitual offender. Police records indicate his alleged involvement in at least eight criminal cases in Delhi. He has also been declared a proclaimed offender in four separate theft cases registered at Kamla Market, Connaught Place, and Lahori Gate police stations.
From his possession, the police have successfully recovered stolen jewellery valued at approximately Rs 35 lakh. Authorities confirmed that efforts are actively underway to trace the remaining stolen property, estimated to be worth over Rs 65 lakh, and to identify and apprehend other members of the interstate gang.
This arrest highlights the persistent efforts of the Delhi Police in tackling organized crime that targets the city's prominent trading hubs. The case remains under investigation as officers work to dismantle the entire network behind this audacious theft.
