The Delhi Police Special Cell has arrested a Head Constable for allegedly stealing approximately Rs 51 lakh in cash and two boxes of gold jewellery from the high security storehouse at the Special Cell’s Lodhi Road office, police said on Monday.
According to a Delhi police officer, the incident happened at about 4 am Saturday, when Khurshid allegedly entered the premises of the Special Cell’s storehouse at Lodhi Road. He went inside the four-layer-security spot, and came out with two boxes of gold and a bag full of cash by 4.30 am, said the police officer.
Khurshid previously served as the assistant to the storehouse in-charge and also held the position of duty officer. It was about a month ago that he was transferred from the Special Cell to the Northeast district on May 24. Despite his transfer, he reportedly exploited his prior access and familiarity with the facility to carry out the theft.
According to sources, Khurshid had duplicate keys made for the storehouse during his tenure. On the night of the incident, he allegedly entered the premises while the duty officer was asleep, accessed the storehouse using the duplicate keys, and stole the cash and jewellery without raising immediate suspicion. The theft came to light the following morning when staff discovered the storehouse door open, prompting an internal investigation. CCTV footage from the premises identified Khurshid as the perpetrator, leading to his arrest from his residence in Northeast Delhi on Saturday night.
Further investigations revealed that Khurshid might have been involved in a similar theft approximately six weeks prior. At that time, missing items from the storehouse were presumed misplaced due to the facility’s cluttered state, and no formal complaint was filed.
The storehouse at the Special Cell’s Lodhi Road office is a secure storage area for case properties, including valuables seized during investigations, particularly those related to anti-terror operations. The storehouse is under a four-layer security watch. The first is the deployment of the Nagaland Police force personnel, who watch over the Lodhi Colony premises. The second layer is the duty officer, who checks the details of everyone who enters the complex. The third are Light Machine Gun (LMG) carrying guards, and the fourth is another duty officer, who checks the entrants for the final time before they get inside the high-security area.