Delhi Police crack robbery of 10 gold bars, one arrested

The theft was carried out by four men who impersonated CGST officers to rob employees of a jeweller; one of his employees also part of the plan, cops said

Two employees of a Punjab-based jeweller were robbed of 10 gold bars worth ₹6 crore near northwest Delhi’s Pitampura on July 10 by at least four men impersonating officers of the central good and services tax (CGST) department, Delhi Police officers said on Tuesday.

The theft took place in the city on July 10. (FILE)

Officers said one of the two employees was involved in the conspiracy. The other suspect was a friend of the Ludhiana-based jeweller, Ravinder Kumar.

Police have arrested the friend, identified as Sushil Kumar alias Toppi, 42, from Ludhiana, and have recovered eight of the stolen gold bars weighing a kilogram each.

The employee under suspicion, identified as Rajan Bawa, 35, is currently absconding, officers said.

“The role of Bawa in the misappropriation of his employer’s gold bars has been confirmed since he is absconding since the crime took place on July 10 in West Enclave near Pitampura in northwest Delhi. We are also probing if Bawa’s father, Kashmir Giri, was also involved in the conspiracy. His role would be ascertained once we arrest and interrogate Bawa,” said deputy commissioner of police (outer) Harendra Kumar Singh.

Police said Bawa is the son a Shiv Sena (Punjab) leader from Ludhiana who was arrested in 2021 for allegedly faking an attack on himself in order to get additional security cover for himself and his son.

The other suspect, Sushil Kumar, was previously involved in at least 18 cases, including extortion, cheating, forgery, assault, threatening and crimes under immoral trafficking Act, registered in Punjab and Haryana, officers added.

Giving details of the case, DCP Singh said that, on July 10, at around 9.30pm, Ravinder Kumar’s employees Balraj (single name) and Bawa were returning to Ludhiana in a Maruti Ertiga with the consignment of 10 gold bars, when their car was intercepted at West Enclave in Pitampura by a white Hyundai i20.

“Two occupants of the car came out and introduced themselves as inspectors Satbir Singh and Ravi Kumar from the CGST department, Delhi. They told the jeweller’s employees that they had information about the presence of unauthorised gold in their car. At least two more people were sitting inside the i20 but due to the car’s tinted glasses, their faces were not visible,” the officer said.

“During the search, the two impersonators found 10 gold bars and asked for their purchase bills. Bawa persuaded them to speak with his employer. One of them spoke with the jeweller on a WhatsApp call that was made by Bawa using his phone. The jeweller told them that he had bills of all the gold bars and there was nothing illegal. However, the two men were not convinced. They took the gold, bundled Bawa in their car, and left the place after asking Balraj to follow them to the CGST office. Balraj informed the jeweller about the entire matter,” said Singh.

The next day, the jeweller came to Delhi and went to the CGST office to enquire about his seized gold, his employee and the two inspectors. However, he did not get any information about it. The jeweller tried to contact Bawa, but his phone was unreachable.

The matter came to light on July 15 when Ravinder Kumar, who is in his early 40s, registered a complaint at the Rani Bagh police station, alleging that some people impersonating CGST officers took away 10 gold bars from Balraj and Bawa. In his complaint, the jeweller said that the gold bars had been purchased from a trader in Karol Bagh, and added that he often purchased gold from Delhi to make jewellery items at his shop in Ludhiana.

“The jeweller suspected Bawa’s role behind the misappropriation of his gold. Thereafter, the jeweller filed a police complaint. A case of impersonation and cheating was registered at the Rani Bagh police station and investigation was taken up,” the DCP said.

“Our teams scanned over 100 CCTV cameras installed on the routes that the i20 car took after the crime. It was found that the car left for Haryana and further to Punjab. The phone call details of Bawa were analysed and it emerged that he was constantly in touch with a person whose location during the crime was found at a dhaba in Murthal near Sonepat in Haryana. That person turned out to be the jeweller’s close friend Sushil Kumar. We raided Kumar’s hideouts in Punjab and arrested him from Khanna in Punjab. Eight of the 10 gold bars were recovered from him,” added the officer.

Police are now on the look-out for the remaining people involved in the impersonation, the officer said.