Delhi: ‘Chef’ snatched gold chains to pay off debts, arrested

Police said the chef received a good package but resorted to snatching after losing money. A jeweller, who would allegedly buy the stolen items from the chef has also been arrested

New Delhi: The Delhi Police on Wednesday said they have arrested a 35-year-old man, who used to cook in a kitchen maintained by a five-star hotel that supplied flight meals, for allegedly snatching gold chains of morning walkers in south Delhi, a police officer said.

Representational Image.

Deputy commissioner of police (south) Atul Kumar Thakur said the accused, Harish Chauhan, worked in the kitchen that is maintained by the Oberoi and is located near the Aerocity. He told the police that he cooked meals in the Oberoi flight services kitchen, near Indira Gandhi International Airport, the DCP said.

“After graduating from Delhi University in 2006, Harish did a three-year hotel management course and started working as a ‘chef’ at the kitchen two years ago. He started gambling through online apps and lost money leading to a huge debt,” Thakur said.

Based on a tip off, Chauhan was arrested from Neb Sarai area on Tuesday evening where he had allegedly gone for snatching gold chains, he said.

A police officer said the jeweller, who would allegedly buy the stolen items from the chef has also been arrested. Police identified the jeweller as Rajender Aggarwal, 60.

An official from the Oberoi Hotel clarified on Wednesday that Chauhan was not a hotel employee. He said that Chauhan was not even a chef, as he was claimed to be in some news reports. Chauhan worked at the Flight Catering Unit, the official said.

“As mentioned by the police, Harish Chauhan does not work for the Oberoi Hotels, but at the flight catering unit. We have a kitchen near Aerocity, where Chauhan worked as a cleaner, and did cleaning and mopping. We have been in touch with the police on why they have made such claims, and legal action will be taken in this regard,” the Oberoi official said.

DCP Thakur said it was not the police, but Chauhan, who claimed that he was a chef.

Police said most of the alleged snatchings were reported from near Saket Metro station, an adjoining park, and a bus stand. “He mostly targeted women on morning or evening walks or those heading office during the morning and evening hours.”

To repay his debts incurred during gambling, Chauhan chose soft targets to snatch valuables. “He runs like an athlete, and is an extremely fast runner. He was quick at committing the crimes, and operated alone. After FIRs (First Information Reports) were registered, a team was constituted,” Thakur said.

He added Chauhan was arrested following a month of relentless search and scrutiny of CCTV footage.

The police were on Tuesday tipped off about Chauhan’s plan of snatching. The informers told the police that he always carries a gun with him. “We laid a trap on the MB Road and arrested him from there. He tried to take out his countrymade pistol, but we overpowered him,” Thakur said.

A pistol with live cartridge, four snatched mobile phones, and four gold chains were recovered from his possession.

Thakur added that Chauhan told them that he sold three snatched gold chains to Aggarwal, who runs a jewellery shop in Neb Sarai. “We have solved 15 cases so far after arresting him and further investigations are on.”