Murder Accused Hired as Security Head Without Background Check
In a shocking security lapse, a man accused of brutally murdering a senior journalist and his mother eight years ago had been working as the security head and manager of a prominent Residents' Welfare Association in Noida for over a year without any police verification. Gaurav Kumar, the prime accused in the 2017 double murder of journalist Karan Jeet Singh and his mother Gurcharan Kaur in Mohali, was arrested by Mohali Police from Noida on Thursday, exposing glaring gaps in hiring protocols for sensitive positions.
From Security Guard to RWA Manager: A Rapid Rise
The Sector 36 RWA in Noida hired Kumar in May 2024 as a security guard through Pandey Security Agency and quickly promoted him to head of security before elevating him to the position of RWA manager. What the residents' body didn't know was that they were placing their trust in a man who had been declared a proclaimed offender in a double murder case and had jumped bail in 2020.
Naveenpal Singh Lehal, DSP Special Crime Cell & Nodal Officer, PO Wing, who supervised the arrest, revealed the shocking details: "Initially hired as a security guard, he was later promoted to head of security and then to manager of the RWA. Shockingly, the RWA never conducted any background verification, and were unaware that their manager was a wanted double-murder accused."
Trust Over Verification: RWA's Fatal Mistake
When questioned about the lack of background checks, Sector 36 RWA president Anita defended their decision by stating their relationship with the security agency was based purely on "trust." She explained that after becoming RWA president in October 2023, they began revamping community security and decided to open all four gates of the RWA area.
"Pandeyji [who runs the security agency] had worked for us earlier, and so when he suggested Gaurav's name, we hired him," Anita told The Indian Express. However, she was unable to provide the full name of "Pandeyji" or his contact details, raising further questions about the hiring process.
The RWA president claimed the security agency had assured them they had conducted verification at their end and there was "nothing to worry." Both Anita and RWA vice president Ashoo Sharma said they only learned about Kumar's alleged involvement in the eight-year-old murder case when Noida Police asked them to visit the police station.
The Brutal 2017 Double Murder Case
The case dates back to the night of September 22-23, 2017, when Karan Jeet Singh, popularly known as KJ, and his mother Gurcharan Kaur were brutally murdered in their Mohali home. Singh was a widely respected journalist who had worked as an editor with The Indian Express in Chandigarh.
According to investigation details, Kumar had allegedly had an argument with the journalist earlier on the day of the murder. A few days after the killings, police caught Kumar driving the journalist's stolen Ford Ikon car. During investigation, police recovered a mobile phone, an ATM card, a TV, a DVD player, and a set-top box from his possession.
The Mohali Police had registered a case against Kumar on September 23, 2017, under sections of the IPC including murder. After jumping bail in 2020, Kumar was declared a proclaimed offender in 2022.
Community Trust and Security Concerns
What makes this case particularly concerning is how easily Kumar gained the trust of Sector 36 residents. RWA president Anita noted that a large number of residents in the sector are elderly and retired individuals who naturally placed their faith in the RWA's appointments.
Several residents described Kumar as actively involved in the RWA's affairs. "He would ride around the neighbourhood on his bike, and took care of everything from pruning trees to the disposal of garbage," said one resident who requested anonymity.
When asked about police verification protocols for security guards and domestic workers in the area, an official from Sector 39 police station stated they conduct verification through the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and System (CCTNS). The official clarified that since the FIR was registered in Mohali, the local police weren't actively tracking Kumar's whereabouts in their jurisdiction.
This case has exposed critical vulnerabilities in the hiring processes of residential communities and security agencies across the National Capital Region, raising urgent questions about the implementation of mandatory police verification for personnel in sensitive positions.
