7 Arrested Including Mastermind In Pragati Maidan Tunnel Robbery Case: Delhi Police

New Delhi: Delhi Police have arrested seven persons in connection with the daylight robbery at gunpoint inside the Pragati Maidan tunnel on June 24, an official said on Tuesday. Police said that raids are being conducted in Delhi-NCR and neighbouring Uttar Pradesh to nab the remaining two to three accused, who are on the run. The arrested accused were identified as Usman, his cousin Ifran, both native of Kaushik enclave in Burari, Anuj Mishra alias Sanki, Kuldeep, Sumit, Pradeep and Bala. Special Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ravindra Singh Yadav said that Usman, who had worked in Amazon delivery for seven years, had hatched the plan as he was debt-ridden and had lost a lot of money in IPL satta.

“Usman, while working as a delivery boy, was well aware about people taking money from the Chandani Chowk area,” said the Special CP. Usman roped in Irfan, who works as a barber in Burari area, for the job. They further after making a plan roped in people from Loni and Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh.

Usman along with Sumit, a vegetable seller, had done recce of the Chandani Chowk before committing the crime. Kuldeep, who is found previously involved in 16 cases, had rented an accommodation in Burari area to divide the looted amount.

Also Read: Two Men Robbed At Gunpoint Inside Pragati Maidan Tunnel in Delhi, CCTV Footage Surfaces

Before committing the armed robbery on June 24, the gang had tried to rob people going with the money from the Chandani Chowk area, but they could not find the target, said Yadav. On June 24, they finally identified the target and as planned, the armed men on two bikes robbed the victim identified as Patel Sajan Kumar, working as a delivery agent at Omiya Enterprises in Chandni Chowk, inside Pragati Maidan tunnel.

“They selected the tunnel to avoid any kind of resistance,” said the official. Kumar after the incident came to Tilak Marg police station and submitted a written complaint regarding this incident.

“We have also recovered two bikes, Apache and Splendor, used in the commission of crime. The chassis numbers of the bikes are tempered and the number plates are fake. During initial interrogation of the accused, it was revealed that Anuj and Bala were on Apache bike while Irfan along with one another was on Splendor. It is suspected that one scooty was also involved in the crime which is being investigated,” said the Special CP.  

“We have also recovered Rs five lakh from the possession of the accused,” said the official. On Saturday afternoon (June 24), a delivery agent and his associate travelling in Ola cab were robbed of cash at gunpoint inside Delhi's Pragati Maidan tunnel by four men on two bikes.

According to police, the victim identified as Patel Sajan Kumar, working as a delivery agent at Omiya Enterprises in Chandni Chowk, came to Tilak Marg police station and submitted a written complaint regarding this incident. Kumar told the police that he, along with his friend Jigar Patel, was going to Gurgaon to deliver a bag of cash.

"They hired an Ola cab from Lal Qila, and while on the way to Gurgaon on the Ring Road, when they entered the tunnel, four people on two motorcycles intercepted their cab and robbed his bag containing Rs 1.5 lakh to 2 lakh at gunpoint," said the police.

The official stated that based on his complaint, they lodged an FIR under relevant sections of the IPC.