Delhi Police Apprehend Six in Complex Robbery Plot Involving False Molestation Allegations
In a significant breakthrough, Delhi Police have arrested six individuals, comprising three women and three men, for their alleged involvement in a meticulously planned robbery targeting a businessman's employee in north Delhi. The accused employed a deceptive tactic of falsely accusing the victim of molestation to create a distraction, enabling them to flee with substantial cash and high-value mobile phones.
Details of the Robbery Incident
The incident occurred on February 17 when Ramesh Chand, a 39-year-old employee of a mobile store based in Jammu, was traveling to Timarpur in Delhi. Chand was carrying two bags: one contained Rs 15 lakh in cash along with 22 packed Apple iPhones valued at approximately Rs 30 lakh, while the other held his personal mobile phone. The gang, which had boarded the same bus from Jammu, trailed him upon his arrival.
As Chand disembarked from the bus, the assailants followed him in an autorickshaw, swiftly surrounding him. In a calculated move, the women among the group reportedly created a scene by falsely accusing him of molestation and assault. This commotion served as a diversion, allowing the male accomplices to abscond with both bags containing the cash and iPhones.
Identification and Arrest of the Accused
The arrested individuals have been identified as Hashu Bibi (23), Juna Begum (31), Maneeva Akhtar (24), Tarig Hussain (33), and Mohammad Farole (28), all residents of Jammu. According to police reports, the three women were apprehended on the spot with assistance from bystanders and the recovery of the victim's mobile phone.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Raja Banthia stated that during interrogation, the accused revealed that a man named Parvez masterminded the robbery. They disclosed that the male accomplices initially returned to Jammu following the incident.
Intensive Police Investigation and Recovery Efforts
On February 20, Farooq was arrested in Chandigarh, Punjab, while en route to meet an advocate for anticipatory bail, as he was aware that police were closing in. He informed officers that Parvez had taken possession of the stolen cash and phones. A separate police team tracking Tarig traced him to his native village, Farole, but he was found to be absconding.
Tarig, who owned two buses operating between his village and Udhampur, managed to evade initial arrest despite police laying traps at both ends of the routes. Officers then embarked on a challenging pursuit through remote areas of Udhampur for five days, navigating forests, hilly terrain, and unpaved tracks, even spending nights in the forests during the search.
After an exhaustive eight-day manhunt, Tarig was finally arrested in his village, with Rs 2 lakh recovered from him. Initially, he withheld information regarding the stolen property. However, following intensive interrogation, he disclosed that Parvez had instructed him to conceal the cash and phones in an animal enclosure at his residence. Police subsequently recovered Rs 13 lakh and 21 Apple iPhones from that location.
Background and Planning of the Crime
Investigators revealed that Parvez had identified the victim on the Jammu–Delhi bus as someone carrying large sums of cash and valuable items, meticulously planning the robbery accordingly. This case highlights the sophisticated methods employed by criminal gangs to execute thefts through psychological manipulation and diversionary tactics.
