Jewellery trader's employee among 3 held for Rs 54 lakh theft in Delhi

New Delhi, Mar 7 (PTI) Three men, including a jewellery trader's employee who allegedly fled with Rs 54 lakh entrusted to him for a transaction in north Delhi's Chandni Chowk, have been arrested by the Delhi Police, an official said on Saturday.

The accused have been identified as Rupesh Kumar (24), Sachin alias Vikas (24) and Pawan Kumar (21), all residents of Sonia Vihar in northeast Delhi.

"The case was registered on February 6 after a bullion trader in Chandni Chowk alleged that his employee Rupesh had absconded with Rs 54 lakh that he was asked to deliver in the market on February 5," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Aditya Gautam said.

Acting on specific information that some suspects involved in the theft would assemble in northeast Delhi to distribute the stolen money, police laid a trap near Khazoori Khas Flyover on March 5, police said.

Two accused, Rupesh and Sachin, were apprehended from the spot, while their associate Pawan was later arrested from Sonia Vihar, they said.

During interrogation, Rupesh told police that he worked for the bullion trader and handled the collection and delivery of payments in the market.

He confessed to hatching a plan with his friends to flee with the money after noticing large cash transactions handled by his employer.

Police said that on February 5, when he was handed Rs 54 lakh to purchase silver from another trader, he decamped with the cash and went into hiding with his associates.

During the operation, police recovered Rs 27 lakh in cash from Rupesh, Rs 2.5 lakh from Sachin and Rs 2 lakh along with deposit receipts worth Rs 8 lakh and a car from Pawan. PTI SSJ HIG HIG