Man, two sons among 4 held for robbery at iron trader’s house

One of the prime accused is the husband of a woman who was recently elected unopposed in a block development council by-election from Murad Nagar.

The Ghaziabad police on Friday arrested four members of a gang for the robbery at an iron trader’s flat in Nehru Nagar last December.

Police have recovered 50% of ₹21 lakh cash and jewellery stolen from the house on the night of December 19, 2017. (Sakib ALi/HT Photo)

One of the prime accused is the husband of a woman who was recently elected unopposed in a block development council by-election from Murad Nagar, police said.

On the night of December 19, 2017, the gang had overpowered the trader, Narendra Goel, and his wife, beat them and tied them up with bandages.

The gang stayed in the flat for over three hours and also had drinks and food from the house before fleeing with cash, jewellery, household gadgets and a Mahindra XUV parked on the building premises.

The couple had told the police that the gang had made away with an estimated ₹21 lakh in cash, apart from other valuables.

The police said they have recovered nearly 50% of the stolen valuables.

The police on Friday arrested Dharam Pal and his two sons Surendra and Mahavir along with the iron trader’s driver Ashok Kumar, who passed on information about Goel to the other accused.

The officials said that Surendra got married on December 8 and wanted to field his wife in the by-election to the block development council from Murad Nagar. In order to do that, he needed a lot of money and he needed it fast, the police said.

“He fielded his wife in the election and we have reports that he also threatened others to stop them from filing nominations for the bypolls. The driver Ashok Kumar knew Dharam Pal and he considered him his “guru” as he was also a priest, the police said. Dharm Pal shared his robbery plan with sons and they agreed to it. They sons also roped in three others, one of whom they knew during their time in Dasna jail,” HN Singh, senior superintendent of police, said.

Three others of the gang — Chanchal, Sanjay Jaat and Naveen— are presently absconding. The police said Surendra and Mahavir were lodged in Dasna jail in connection with a murder case in 2013 and there they came in contact with Chanchal.

“Their friendship grew and they planned the robbery after information was passed on to them by Ashok Kumar,” Atish Kumar Singh, circle officer (city II), said.

On the night of the incident, Surendra, Chanchal, Sanjay Jaat and Naveen entered Goel’s flat and waited there for him to return from his office. The others, including the driver, Ashok Kumar, waited on the road.

The police sources said Ashok Kumar had taken the off and Goel drove the car to his house from his office.

“The investigation was based on the fact that the driver was absent on the day of the incident. This led us to suspect him. The Mahindra XUV was recovered from Baleni in Baghpat the next day. We tracked the driver through informers and also through electronic surveillance and information about others soon came to the fore,” a police source said.

During a search in Murad Nagar, the police recovered the licensed pistol and cartridges, which were taken from the victim’s house on the night of the robbery. A hunt is on for Chanchal, Naveen and Sanjay Jaat, the police said.

Assistant election officer Vishal Singh said Surendra’s wife was the only candidate who had filed a nomination for the bypolls. She is likely to get elected unopposed, he added.

Hindustan Times tried to contact Surendra’s wife several times but her mobile phone remained switched off.

“It seems a political conspiracy led to the arrests of my brother and my father, who is a priest. There have been attempts to ensure that my brother’s wife doesn’t contest the election. My family members have been framed just when Surendra’s wife is slated get the winner’s certificate on Saturday,” the brother of the accused said, requesting that he not be named.