Delhi jeweller arrested for staging fake robbery to get loan waiver

New Delhi, August 23

A 40-year-old jeweller and his two associates staged a fake robbery of 2.6 kg gold at his office in central Delhi in order to get bank loans worth Rs 61 lakh waived off, police said on Sunday.

Abhijeet Samanta, who has been in the jewellery business for the past four years, was not making much profit and it was further hit due to the coronavirus lockdown. Samanta and his associates—Farhan (38), a property dealer, and Munna (28), who works at a garage—staged a fake robbery, officials said.

Munna executed the robbery by venturing into the office at Chandni Mahal wearing a burka and a toy gun, police said.

The matter came to light after Samanta approached the police, alleging that a woman wearing a burka came inside his office on Saturday night and placed a gun on his head, according to the police.

Samanta alleged that the woman slapped him, snatched Rs 50,000 from him and keys of lockers. She forced him to open the locker and later tied his hands, legs and mouth with the cloth. Thereafter, she fled with all the jewellery and cash.

During investigation, the CCTV footages of different cameras were analysed and it was noticed that the entry of the woman was friendly and behaviour of the complainant was also suspicious, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Sanjay Bhatia said.

After a six-hour interrogation, Samanta broke down and confessed about the entire conspiracy hatched by him along with his two associates, Bhatia said.

Samanta said in order to expand his business, he had availed business loan worth Rs 61 lakh approximately from three different banks. He also got insured the gold stock, based on which he secured loans.

Since 2018, his business was not going well and finally due to lockdown, he was not in a position to deposit the EMI, the DCP said. — PTI