Fifth suspect nabbed in Delhi’s Jaffrabad murder case

Delhi police have arrested a fifth suspect, 20-year-old Azmal Ansari, in connection with the alleged robbery and murder of an elderly couple in Jaffrabad.

Nearly 10 days after an elderly couple was allegedly murdered for robbery by a group of four people at their Maujpur home in northeast Delhi, the Delhi Police’s crime branch on Saturday said they arrested the fifth suspect in the case, identified as 20-year-old Azmal Ansari.

Fifth suspect nabbed in Delhi’s Jafrabad murder case

The four other people arrested were Zahid and Shahid who are twins, 25, Nazim, 23, and Shoeb, 23. The sixth suspect, identified by the police as Rajeet, is still at large. The twin brothers were nephews of the couple, Shamima Begum and her husband Abbas, both 70.

Police said the team checked multiple CCTV cameras around the area. “Two days ago, the team received information about Ansari’s presence near the Noor-e-Elahi area in northeast Delhi. The CCTV footage of the neighbourhood was checked. It was found that Ansari had a new haircut to change his appearance. Possible hideouts were raided and Ansari was caught, said Ravindra Singh Yadav, special commissioner of police (crime).

On June 8, the Jaffrabad police station received a call about the incident. When the team reached the house, they found the couple and one of their nephews, Zahid, were injured while the house was ransacked. They were taken to a nearby hospital where Begum was declared brought dead. Police also found that cash and valuables were missing from the house.

Police then registered a case under sections of murder, attempt to murder, and robbery of the Indian Penal Code and after two days, four people were arrested in connection with the case.

Ansari’s interrogation, Yadav said, revealed that he was contacted by the twin brothers, who lured them into committing a robbery at their aunt’s house. Zahid and Shahid had borrowed ₹10 lakh from Begum. “They kept avoiding the payment on different pretexts. When Begum started humiliating them for repayment along with interest, Zahid and Shahid conspired to kill Begum to get rid of the debt. They then contacted Azmal, Nazim, and Ranjeet and brought them in on the plan as well, along with Shoeb,” added the officer.

“According to the plan, they decided that Zahid will remain at the house while Shahid would stay at the house of his sister to mislead the police and family. Zahid also told the executors to assault him as well while beating up his uncle and aunt so that nobody suspected his role in the crime,” added Yadav.