Snatchers who targeted PM’s niece arrested

By: Sakshi Chand
NEW DELHI: Cops have nabbed the two criminals who had allegedly snatched the purse of the PM’s niece, Damayantiben Modi, at Raj Niwas Marg in north Delhi on Saturday morning. Police tracked down Gaurav alias Nonu, from the house of his wife’s grandmother in Sonepat, from where Damayanti’s stolen belongings were also recovered.
Gaurav’s associate, Badal, fled the spot but was later tracked to Sultanpuri and arrested on Sunday night.
Police recovered Rs 56,000 in cash, documents and two mobile phones which were kept in Damayanti’s red handbag from Gaurav’s possession. The victim’s wristwatch, along with a few other documents, was recovered from Badal. Damayanti, the daughter of the PM’s brother, was getting off an auto-rickshaw outside the Gujarati Samaj Bhavan when the accused came on a scooty and snatched her bag.
Duo kept moving around but couldn’t evade police net
Cops said Badal kept changing his location, along with his friend Arjun, after the crime. He was finally nabbed from his friend's house in Sultanpuri.
DCP (North) Monika Bhardwaj said that a search is on to recover the bag that was dumped near Sadar Bazar. “We are gathering evidence to prepare a water-tight case against the accused. Both were found to be history-sheeters,” said Bhardwaj.
Police sources said Badal was finally tracked with the help of his brother, Vicky. Badal was spotted riding a motorcycle with Arjun sitting in the middle and another person at the back. A team of police officers who had been deployed in the area noticed him and sent out an alert, after which he was arrested on Sunday night.
During interrogation, Gaurav told police that they had emptied the bag and threw it in the Sadar Bazar area. After snatching Damayantiben’s bag, the duo first reached near Idgah in Sadar Bazar and switched off the two mobile phones. Call data records also show that the mobile was last active in that area. Police officers scanned CCTV footage from 10 different locations in the area to ascertain the route taken by the two. In one of the cameras, at Gujarati school on Raj Niwas Marg, their faces and the scooty were clearly visible.
Investigating officers showed the pictures of the duo to residents and circulated their photographs in Nabi Karim and Sadar Bazar. The pillion rider was identified as Gaurav, who is also known as Nonu in the area. As per police records, he is a resident of Basti Julian in Sadar Bazar. However, his in-laws, with whom he is not in touch, live in the house.
Police officers detained some of Gaurav’s friends who informed them that he had left with Badal and might have gone to Sultanpuri. Local intelligence revealed that Gaurav’s aunt lived in Sultanpuri area. A raid was carried out and the scooty was found parked outside her residence. Residents told police that the duo parked the two-wheeler around 2.30pm and left.
Police also questioned Gaurav’s in-laws who informed them about another relative living in Sonepat where he could be hiding. His location was traced to Rishi Kunj colony there and he is picked up from his wife’s grandmother’s house around 6am.
Gaurav told police that he carried out snatchings in central and north Delhi areas since he was brought up there and was familiar with the area. The accused usually waited for possible targets outside railway stations and bus stops but mostly struck at random targets.
On Saturday, they were roaming around in the area and saw a couple in an auto. They followed them for a distance, aware that Damayantiben had placed her purse on the seat. They struck as she was getting off the auto, police said. Meanwhile police officers are also probing if Badal’s friend Arjun was somehow involved in the crime.