The Crime Branch of the Delhi Police on Monday arrested a 24-year-old member of dreaded Ajay Jadeja gang. DCP (Crime) Joy Tirkey said, "The arrested gang member, Jitender Choudhary, was carrying a reward of Rs 50,000 on his head announced by the Uttar Pradesh Police. The accused is allegedly involved in more than 12 cases, including kidnapping for ransom, dacoity, attempt to murder, attack on police team and possession of illegal firearms."
Choudhary was also wanted in a sensational case of kidnapping of two businessmen in Uttar Pradesh's Jhansi in which Rs 25-crore ransom was demanded, he said.
Sleuths of the Crime Branch had received a tip-off about the movement of Jitender. Accordingly, a team under ACP Shweta Singh Chauhan laid a trap near CNG pump on Main Kanjhawala Road in Rohini Sector 21 and apprehended him.
During sustained interrogation, Jitender revealed that as he fell in bad company, he started committing theft, robbery and dacoity along with his associates.
"He was earlier arrested by UP Police in seven cases of Attempt to murder, Robbery and Arms Act including a sensational dacioty of Rs 50 lakh in Agra from a merchant. He was released in December last year after which he joined the Ajay Jadeja gang along with his associate Vinod Jat, who was a dismissed constable of the UP Police. In the first week of July this year, he along with Vinod Jat, lokender and Narender Sharma robbed one Innova Car from the area of Agra which was used by them in the kidnapping of ransom case of Jhansi," Tirkey said.
Vinod Jat and Choudhary on instructions from Ajay Jadeja abducted Jhansi-based prominent businessmen Raju Kamraya and Rahul Agarwal while they were on their way to the badminton court on July 12. They wore police uniforms while committing the crime. The gang demanded Rs 25 crore for releasing the victims," said DCP Tirkey.
The officer said, "After kidnapping, they changed their hideouts frequently and last used an apartment in Nikhil Woodland Apartment Complex in Agra. Ajay Jadeja was in constant contact with the family of two businessmen. Ajay Jadeja demanded that the money be transferred overseas through hawala into a Dubai account."