A 29-year-old Kanpur resident was arrested in connection with a robbery case in Sector 113, Noida, where two businessmen were allegedly robbed on the night of April 18-19 by six men impersonating police officers. This marks the third arrest in the case, Noida police confirmed on Sunday.
The suspects reportedly stole Rs7.5 lakh in cash and forced the victims to transfer an additional Rs11.2 lakh into their accomplices’ bank accounts via online transactions. Police say the robbery was part of a carefully orchestrated plan by the suspects.
According to Sector 113 police station’s Station House Officer (SHO Krishna Gopal Sharma), the suspect, Shobhit Rajput, was apprehended after a tip-off that he had come to visit a friend near the Faridabad-Noida-Ghaziabad (FNG) Expressway. A police team swiftly arrested him.
Earlier, Komal Singh (30), a police constable who had been absent from duty for the past year, and Arush Tripathi (33), both residents of Kanpur, were also arrested in connection with the robbery.
The incident took place around 1 a.m. on April 19, when Ashwin (a businessman) and Rajat Kumar (a jeweller) were heading out with their friends Deepanshu and Shobhit in a car. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Ram Badan Singh, two SUVs—an XUV 700 and a Scorpio—blocked their vehicle from both the front and back.
The suspects, including Komal, Arush, Gaurav, and Utkarsh, overpowered the victims, posing as members of the Special Task Force (STF). They claimed that a complaint had been lodged against the victims. Utkarsh held Ashwin at gunpoint and ordered Rajat to bring the cash from his flat. The criminals then stole Rs7.5 lakh in cash and forced the victims to transfer Rs11.2 lakh into their associates’ bank accounts through online transactions.
In addition to the cash, the suspects also looted the victims’ laptops and mobile phones. After spending more than 15 hours traveling through Noida, Greater Noida, and surrounding districts in their SUVs, they left Ashwin and Rajat near the Jewar toll plaza around 4 p.m. on April 19.
The victims, following advice from a friend, reported the incident to the police.
Upon investigation, it was revealed that Ashwin and Rajat had earlier shown off their cash and plans to purchase a BMW car to their friends Deepanshu and Shobhit. After learning about their wealth, Deepanshu and Shobhit conspired with Komal and Arush to carry out the robbery. As Komal was a police officer, they planned for him to impersonate an STF officer during the crime. Gaurav and Utkarsh were later added to the team.
A case of dacoity, wrongful confinement, causing hurt, criminal intimidation, and stolen property has been registered at Sector 113 police station. Investigations are ongoing, and police are actively searching for the remaining three absconders.
