Accused wanted in high-value telecom equipment thefts held

The Delhi Police have arrested a former scrap dealer who turned to stealing high-value telecom infrastructure components, especially Remote Radio Units (RRUs), to make quick money.

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The accused, identified as Shavej Ahmad, alias Prince Malik (27), was nabbed following an intense three-day interstate operation across Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Vikram Singh said Shavej was wanted in multiple cases of telecom equipment theft in Delhi, Punjab and Haryana. He was finally tracked and arrested near Khatauli on the Delhi-Haridwar Highway.

A resident of Rajpura in Punjab, Shavej, who studied up to Class VIII in Patiala, previously worked at a shoe shop and later as a scrap dealer. He allegedly started targeting mobile communication infrastructure after discovering lucrative black market for stolen RRUs — devices critical to mobile signal transmission from telecom towers.

“Shavej was operating a network that delivered and harboured stolen RRU cards in Delhi and Meerut. He had been evading arrest by frequently changing locations, identities and mobile numbers,” said DCP Singh.

During interrogation, Shavej confessed to his involvement in multiple thefts. One of the recovered RRUs has been traced to a theft case registered in the Burari area of Delhi. In addition, the police recovered Rs 4 lakh in cash, believed to be the proceeds from selling the stolen equipment.

The police said the accused was also wanted in three other cases — two in Punjab and one in Haryana. Investigations are on to uncover the full extent of the criminal network and identify any potential accomplices.