Delhi top cop’s home burgled, thief held
A day after the theft at Delhi Police DCP Vinit Kumar’s Kaka Nagar home, Cyber Cell police arrested the suspect and managed to recover almost all the stolen items, including the officer’s identity card. The break-in happened in one of Delhi’s most secure areas, at a time when security has been increased for Independence Day. The fact that a burglar got in and out of a DCP’s home in such a closely watched area caught the attention of the force.
The theft happened on August 11, after Kumar left his home at about 5.30 am for work. When he came back around 8 am, he found the house ransacked and his belongings scattered. He reported the case right away at Tughlak Road police station.
Police said the thief took an Apple iPhone 15 Pro, a OnePlus phone, a purse with Rs 10,000 in cash, a diamond ring, and important documents. Other stolen items included house keys, an MHA identity card, an Aadhaar card, a driving licence, and debit and credit cards. The domestic help’s mobile phone was also stolen.
Police registered a case under Sections 305 and 317(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at the Tughlak Road police station and began investigating immediately. Since the victim is a serving DCP who leads the Cyber Cell, the case was handled with extra urgency from the start.
Investigators checked CCTV footage from the area and used technical surveillance to find the suspect. These leads pointed police to Imran, also known as Sawan, son of Mohammad Sharif Ali Sharif, who lives in Nala Jhuggi, Taimur Nagar, New Delhi. He was caught soon after.
Police said they recovered the stolen Apple iPhone 15 Pro, the OnePlus phone, the diamond ring, and other items from him. Officials also found that the accused had six previous cases of similar burglaries, showing a pattern of targeting homes.
The case was solved within 24 hours, thanks to the teamwork of the Tughlak Road police staff led by New Delhi district’s DCP Sachin Sharma. Officials said the investigation is still ongoing.
The accused is still in custody as the case continues. Officers said more questioning could reveal why he keeps getting involved in similar thefts across the city.
This is not the only theft in New Delhi’s highly secured district. On July 16, 2012, thieves stole valuables and cash from SPG officer Srinivasan’s home in South Delhi’s Lodhi Colony. In another incident, burglars allegedly broke into the house of IPS officer Surendra Choudhary, who was about to move into his new home in Lutyens’ zone. Sources said the thieves got away with jewellery worth about Rs 15 lakh and other valuables. The burglary was reported on July 25, 2016. There is round-the-clock security in the area, yet thieves have managed to cock a snook at the Delhi Police.
