VIP justice: How Delhi police solved Lok Sabha MP’s snatching case in 48 hours

The chain and the scooter used in the crime, along with four stolen mobile phones and another scooter, have been recovered from the suspect.

After scanning more than 5,000 CCTV clips and deploying 80 police personnel across three districts for a continuous 48-hour operation, the Delhi Police on Wednesday nabbed the man who allegedly snatched Lok Sabha MP R Sudha’s gold chain near the Embassy of Poland in Chanakyapuri two days ago.

A CCTV grab of the alleged snatcher. (HT Photo)

According to the police, the suspect was out on bail in a vehicle theft case and has a criminal history of 26 cases of robbery and theft.

Joint commissioner of police (Southern Range) Sanjay Kumar Jain identified the accused as Sohan Rawat, a resident of Okhla Industrial Area. He was arrested around 6am on Wednesday near the BRT corridor, allegedly while trying to dispose of the stolen chain.

“The chain and the scooter used in the crime, along with four stolen mobile phones and another scooter, have been recovered from him. Cameras installed under the Safe City Project played a key role in solving the case,” Jain said.

The breakthrough came when Inspector Umesh Yadav’s team, which had arrested Rawat last July for snatching a woman’s gold chain, reviewed CCTV footage and recognised his trademark appearance—full sleeves to hide a Shiva tattoo and the letters ‘SN’, and a distinctive nose. After confirming his identity, they traced him through his estranged wife and a close friend who shared his active mobile number. He was arrested early Wednesday near the BRT corridor.

When asked whether similar efforts were made in other snatching cases—one of the most rampant street crimes in the Capital—Jain claimed that police presence had led to a “48% decline in calls related to snatching in New Delhi district” and that 83% of all reported cases had been solved this year compared to previous years.

However, he did not specify how many of these cases led to recovery of stolen items. In south Delhi, he said, the detection rate was 65%, while calls related to street crime had declined by 20% this year compared to last year.

While high-profile cases often get solved quickly, many Delhi residents without VIP links say their cases go nowhere.

Rajesh Kumar, a 38-year-old security guard at an office complex in south Delhi, said his phone was snatched in Kotla Mubarakpur in 2024. Despite registering an FIR and following up repeatedly, he said he received no update. “It’s been almost a year. I went to the police station several times, but nothing happened. I’ve given up,” he said.

Isha Gupta, 22, a resident of east Delhi, recounted a similar experience. Her phone was snatched at Jafrabad Metro station in 2023. “I knew I wasn’t going to get it back, so I stopped following up after a while,” she said.

While police cite high solve rates in two of Delhi’s 15 districts, there is no citywide data on the number of cases solved or the value of recovered stolen property. Multiple requests for such data from the Delhi Police have gone unanswered.

From January to June this year, 2,503 snatching cases were registered, according to Delhi Police data. However, it remains unclear how many of these cases were solved or led to recoveries.

In fact, available figures with the Delhi Police suggest that at least one snatching incident is reported every two hours in the Capital—highlighting the persistent threat of street crimes that cut across class, gender, and age groups.

Investigating officers admit that snatching is still largely treated as a petty offence, with limited priority unless the victim is a VIP. “Thousands of phones and chains are snatched in Delhi.

The Delhi Police has a little over 85,000 personnel, but not all are assigned investigative roles. One officer typically has around 100 cases. It’s not practically possible to prioritise a snatching case over a murder,” said an inspector, requesting anonymity.

Although the Delhi Police releases annual data on reported crimes, figures on solved cases—especially for street crime—are not shared consistently.

The last time the force released comprehensive data, including detection rates, was in 2022. The National Crime Records Bureau last published its report the same year.