Week after heist, police crack Chandni Chowk robbery case

A week after an armed robbery at a third-floor office in a building in Chandni Chowk, Delhi Police have apprehended a manager of the “angadiya” business — an informal courier service that transports large sums of cash — for orchestrating the heist

A week after an armed robbery at a third-floor office in a building in Chandni Chowk, Delhi Police have apprehended a manager of the “angadiya” business — an informal courier service that transports large sums of cash — for orchestrating the heist. Police said they have detained three other suspects in connection with the case.

On October 28, four men stormed the building in Kucha Brijnath, next to Kucha Mahajani market, and threatened employees, beating up one of them, and tying another’s hands and forcing them to hand over the keys. They then opened cupboards, stuffed ₹2.3 crore in cash into bags and walked out, threatening to kill the employees if they raised an alarm. (Representative photo)

On October 28, four men stormed the building in Kucha Brijnath, next to Kucha Mahajani market, and threatened employees, beating up one of them, and tying another’s hands and forcing them to hand over the keys. They then opened cupboards, stuffed ₹2.3 crore in cash into bags and walked out, threatening to kill the employees if they raised an alarm. A getaway car waited nearby, allowing them to escape the narrow lanes of Old Delhi.

The manager was the complainant in the first information report (FIR) filed in the case, said a senior police officer, adding that the injured staff member had first approached the manager who then called police.

Investigators said that the manager aroused suspicion as police looked into the four suspects with surveillance later revealing that he was also involved. “We checked his records and found he had been in talks with a few people in the last month,” said the officer quoted above.

“They picked 10.30 am to carry out the crime so that nobody would be around. They also knew all about the cash, DVR system and keys. We have apprehended him. With the help of CCTVs around the railway station, we have also detained three people,” said the officer.

The three are suspected to include the robbers as well receivers, and are being questioned, the officer added.

An FIR in the case was registered at Lahori Gate police station under sections relating to robbery, criminal intimidation, causing hurt and the Arms Act.

The robbery, which added to a series of daylight crimes targeting cash and jewellery businesses in the area, raised concerns among traders over safety in the area. In February, three armed men allegedly looted gold jewellery worth around ₹60 lakh from a shop in Kinari Bazar. In October last year, an armed assailant robbed a man of ₹80 lakh in less than 48 seconds after firing a shot in the air.