Delhi Liquor Businessman's Family Held Hostage, Robbed

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A liquor businessman's family in Delhi was allegedly held hostage and robbed of jewellery worth Rs 25 lakh, with police suspecting the involvement of the domestic help in the orchestrated crime.

Key Points

  • A liquor businessman's family in Delhi was allegedly held hostage during a robbery.
  • Jewellery worth approximately Rs 25 lakh was stolen from the residence.
  • Police suspect the domestic help facilitated the entry of the robbers.
  • CCTV footage shows multiple people entering the house in a coordinated manner.
  • Police are conducting raids in multiple states to apprehend the accused.

A domestic help and his associates allegedly held a liquor businessman's family hostage at their residence in the upscale Golf Links area here and fled with jewellery worth around Rs 25 lakh, police sources said on Friday.

The businessman has been identified as Ashok Chawla, owner of a liquor company.

 

According to police, the incident took place on Thursday evening around 6 pm when the elderly Chawla couple, their daughter-in-law and a child were present at the house.

Around six persons allegedly barged into the house and confined the family members, forcing them to hand over valuables. The victims were threatened and allegedly held hostage while the accused searched the house, the source said.

No one was physically harmed during the incident, and the family members were later freed after the accused fled the scene, he said.

Domestic Help Suspected of Conspiracy

Preliminary investigation has revealed that the crime was facilitated by the domestic help, identified as Sushil -- suspected to be the main conspirator who allegedly enabled the entry of the other accused into the house.

Police suspect that the accused had prior knowledge on the layout of the house and the presence of valuables, indicating possible recce conducted before executing the robbery.

CCTV Footage Reveals Coordinated Entry

CCTV footage from the area shows multiple people approaching the residence. Some of them were seen standing near the house, apparently waiting for vehicular movement to clear before entering the premises, the source said.

The footage shows around six people entering the house in a coordinated manner, suggesting that the robbery was pre-planned and executed with precision.

Investigators said the accused appeared to have timed their entry carefully to avoid raising suspicion in the otherwise busy residential locality.

Police Investigation Underway

Police said a case has been registered under relevant sections and multiple teams have been formed to apprehend the accused.

Teams are scanning CCTV footage from nearby areas to identify the suspects and reconstruct their movement before and after the crime. Investigators are also examining the entry and exit routes used by the accused to determine how they fled the spot.

Police sources said the police are probing the background of the domestic help, including where he was hired from and whether he is linked to any active criminal gang operating in Delhi or neighbouring states.

Raids are being conducted in multiple states, including Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, to track down the suspects, police said.

Police have also activated their network of informers, and still images of the accused captured in CCTV footage are being circulated among counterparts in different units and neighbouring states to aid identification.

Efforts are also underway to analyse call detail records and other technical evidence to establish the identities and movements of the accused persons, police added.

Under Indian law, charges of robbery with wrongful confinement and potentially conspiracy would apply in this case. The next stage of the investigation will likely involve questioning the domestic help's known contacts and associates. Delhi has seen a rise in organised crime targeting affluent neighbourhoods in recent months.