Man held for stealing $1,600 from Iranian national at Kashmere Gate

The conductor told investigators that the purse had been found on a seat and handed over to him by the helper, identified as Monish. Police said the helper initially tried to mislead the investigators but later confessed to stealing the money during sustained interrogation.

Delhi Police have arrested a helper working with an app-based bus operator and recovered $1,600 allegedly stolen from the purse of an Iranian national at ISBT Kashmere Gate, police said on Sunday.

A case was registered (Representative photo)

Deputy commissioner of police (North) Raja Banthia said the theft was reported on December 15 after Fareshteh Sayanjali, an Iranian citizen visiting India, arrived at ISBT Kashmere Gate from Rishikesh around 1.45 pm. Police said Sayanjali accidentally left her purse on the bus while deboarding. She later received a call from the bus operator stating that the purse had been found. However, on receiving it, she discovered that $1,600 (approximately, ₹143,000) kept inside was missing, police said.

Sayanjali, who was staying with her host Dr Ali Akbar Shah, a professor at Delhi University and a resident of Mukherjee Nagar, subsequently reported the matter at the ISBT police post, police said. Based on her complaint, an FIR was registered on December 16 at Kashmere Gate police station under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The accused, identified as Monish, 26, was arrested and a raid was conducted at his residence in Jahangirpuri, leading to the recovery of the entire stolen amount of $1,600, police said. He has studied up to Class 10 and had been working as a helper on the bus for the past one year. Further investigation is underway.