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The maid has admitted to planning the fake raid after observing that the victims were elderly and often alone at home.
Here's what happened:
The police said that three men, claiming to be authorised by the ED to search, entered the Sabharwal's house and asked the elderly couple to keep their mobile phones, jewellery, cash and valuables on a table.
In a statement, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Aishwarya Sharma said that they (accused) refused to show any warrant or authorisation letter and allegedly snatched the family members' mobile phones, switched them off and prevented them from contacting anyone.
Intimidated by threats of arrest, the complainant placed a bag containing around ₹10-12 lakh, stated to be legitimate business income, on the dining table.
How did the tables turn?
The ADCP said that the impostors photographed the cash and reiterated threats of legal action.
However, the tables turned when the couple was able to alert their grandson, a senior lawyer. “The situation shifted when Usha managed to alert her grandson, a senior lawyer,” the officer said.
Sensing trouble, the accused fled the spot, allegedly taking away around ₹3 to 4 lakh in cash and seven luxury watches.
Subsequently, the victims lodged a complaint at New Friends Colony police station and an FIR was registered under the following sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita:
- 318(4): cheating
- 319(2): cheating by personation
- 329(4): criminal trespass
- 127(3): wrongful confinement
- 3(5): common intention
2 accused arrested
Out of the five accused, two have been arrested on Wednesday and were identified as Rekha Devi (40), the domestic help and Pooja Rajput (45), police said.
The absconding accused are Pooja's husband, Prakash, who is an ITBP constable, her son, Manish, and Updesh Singh Thapa alias Pintu, a retired army personnel.
How did the maid pull off a fake raid?
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Hemant Tiwari said that through technical surveillance, Rekha Devi emerged as the key conspirator. “Her involvement confirmed that the crime was an insider job.”
During interrogation, Rekha admitted to planning the fake raid after observing that the complainant was elderly and often alone at home.
They believed that impersonating officials of a central agency would ensure compliance and minimise resistance from the family.
Luxury watches, jewellery found at the accused's residence
During a search of Pooja's residence in Vaishali, police recovered a deputy commandant uniform of the ITBP, its ID card, and a wireless device allegedly used to mimic official police communication.
Delhi police also seized seven luxury watches, jewellery allegedly stolen from the complainant's house, and a pistol whose licence had expired in 2019.
"Raids are being conducted at multiple locations to trace and arrest the remaining accused. Efforts are also underway to recover the remaining stolen cash and any other case property," Tiwari said.
Further investigation is underway to establish the exact roles of each accused, verify the source of the uniform and identity card, and determine whether the accused were involved in any similar incidents in the past.
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