Four people were arrested for allegedly stealing ₹2.9 crore from a Gujarat native now settled in Vrindavan, with police recovering ₹2.6 crore of the stolen cash. The theft took place on June 9 in the Sunrakh area of Vrindavan under Jaint police station in Mathura district and the case was filed on June 22, officials said on Tuesday.
The accused allegedly threatened to implicate the victim in a kidnapping case and warned of harm to his son, forcing him to return to Gujarat without lodging a complaint. He later returned to Mathura and filed a complaint with the police on June 22, officials said.
The accused have been identified as Rajan (30) from Faridabad, Alok (20) from Kushinagar, Prem Sagar (25) and Hiren both from Surat in Gujarat. They were arrested from Sunrakh road in Vrindavan on Tuesday and were presented in Court, said Mathura senior superintendent of police (SSP) Shlok Kumar while addressing the media on Tuesday.
Besides recovering the looted ₹2.6 crore, costly mobiles, attires, jewellery and a car purchased from cash looted money were also recovered from their possession, he added.
According to the SSP, the victim, Manav Prajapati, a resident of Gandhi Nagar in Gujarat, had visited Vrindavan four months ago. After coming in contact with a spiritual leader, he decided to settle in Vrindavan ashram and dedicate the rest of his life to religious pursuits.
{{/usCountry}}According to the SSP, the victim, Manav Prajapati, a resident of Gandhi Nagar in Gujarat, had visited Vrindavan four months ago. After coming in contact with a spiritual leader, he decided to settle in Vrindavan ashram and dedicate the rest of his life to religious pursuits.
{{/usCountry}}The SSP said Manav’s father, Rakesh Prajapati, who had been living alone since his wife’s death about 18 months ago, also decided to move to Vrindavan. He sold his house, shop and other assets in Gujarat before shifting to Vrindavan with cash amounting to several crores of rupees.
The SSP said Rakesh Prajapati settled in Vrindavan’s Sunrakh after buying a flat, a motorcycle and a scooter. There, he befriended Alok and Rajan, who ran a nearby guest house. After learning about his financial status, they allegedly gained his trust and lured him to inspect land in Mant on the pretext of building an ashram.
The SSP said that while Alok took Rakesh Prajapati to inspect the plot, his three associates allegedly broke into the locked house and stole ₹2.9 crore kept in an almirah and under a bed. When Prajapati grew suspicious, Alok went into hiding, while the other accused allegedly threatened to implicate him in Alok’s abduction and warned him against reporting the theft, claiming his son Manav’s life would be at risk.
The SSP said Rakesh Prajapati eventually approached Jaint police station and lodged a complaint.
Police registered a case under Sections 305 (theft), 331(3) (house-breaking), 317(2) (dishonestly retaining stolen property) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and formed multiple teams to investigate the case.
Mathura SSP announced a reward of ₹25,000 for the Jaint police team for solving the case.