Three held in Delhi for looting jewellery with fake notes

New Delhi, Jan 31 (PTI) Three men have been arrested here for allegedly looting people of their jewellery in exchange of fake currency notes, police said on Wednesday.

The arrested persons include the gang's mastermind Ashoka Solanki (38) and his associates Karan (32) and Nemchand (54), they said.

A 54-year-old woman said in her complaint that on January 19, when she went to AIIMS Hospital, two men approached her near gate number 2 of Safdarjung hospital, Deputy Commissioner of Police (south) Ankit Chauhan said.

The duo lured the woman to give away her gold bangles and gave her fake notes in return. They took her jewellery and fled in an auto-rickshaw, the complainant said.

A case was registered and an investigation was taken up. During analysis of CCTV footage from nearby cameras, the team saw two people boarding an auto-rickshaw with a distorted number plate, the DCP said.

"We later identified one accused Ashoka who was arrested. He confessed to committing the crime along with his associates Karan and Nemchand, who were also arrested," he said.

Gold ornaments, including four bangles, a bundle of fake currency and an autorickshaw were recovered from their possession, he added.

The gang used to operate at crowded place like bus stands, hospitals, railway stations and used to target senior citizens or women, the DCP said, adding that 53 cases were registered against Solanki. PTI BM RPA