Four held for murder-robbery of businessman in west Delhi

New Delhi

Thirteen days after the body of a 37-year-old businessman was found at his second floor flat in Naraina village, west Delhi, Delhi Police arrested four men, including a friend of the victim’s, on charges of murder and robbery.

Police said the accused strangled the businessman to death, and took ₹7 lakh and other articles before fleeing the scene of crime on the night of June 11.

“We have recovered ₹4.8 lakh of the total stolen cash, clothes worn by the suspects during the crime, a mobile phone that they had purchased using the stolen money, and a vehicle that they used for transportation,” deputy commissioner of police (west) Vichitra Veer said.

Veer said the Naraina police station received information about the murder on June 12, following which they found the body of the victim, Vibhuti Kumar, who ran a cosmetics shop in Moti Nagar. His wife and children were away, in Nepal, during the incident, police said.

Police said Kumar’s neighbours went to check as he was not responding to phone calls, found the door ajar and saw his body in the room. An autopsy confirmed he was strangled to death, they said.

Investigators scanned footage from more than 250 CCTV cameras in the neighbourhood and adjoining areas to identify the suspects. They arrested Kumar’s friend, Anuj Singh, 35, from Rohtak in Haryana.

According to police, Singh said he was in debt and was under extreme pressure to repay the loans, due to which he conspired with three associates, Abhishek Kumar, 20, Neeraj Kumar, 20, and Suraj Kumar, 20, all from Jind in Haryana, to kill Kumar and steal valuables.

“As per their plan, Singh went to Kumar’s house on the evening of June 11. He also took along his three friends on the pretext of introducing them to Kumar. Singh knew that Kumar’s wife and children were away on vacation. He also knew where Kumar kept cash in his house,” Veer said.

The three others were arrested on information provided by Singh, police said.