Elderly Woman Arrested For Stealing Foreign National’s Bag

New Delhi: The Central District Police have arrested a 72-year-old woman in connection with the theft of a bag belonging to a foreign national in the Paharganj area of ​​the capital. Police recovered 185,500 Indian rupees and 2,600 US dollars from the accused. To solve the case, the police team examined footage from over 100 CCTV cameras in the area. The accused has been identified as Savita Gandhi, alias Saroj Gandhi, a resident of Uttam Nagar.

Central District DCP Rohit Rajveer Singh stated that on October 21, 2024, a foreign national filed an online complaint reporting that her bag had been stolen while she was shopping at a store in Paharganj. The bag contained her passport, visa-related documents, 2,600 US dollars, 250,000 Indian rupees, three credit cards, and a Samsung mobile phone. Based on the complaint, a case was registered at the Paharganj Police Station under Section 305 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and an investigation was initiated.

Theft Uncovered Through CCTV Footage

Given the seriousness of the case, the team from the Sangtrashan Police Outpost analyzed CCTV footage. Acting on local inputs and intelligence, the police identified the accused. Subsequently, on October 24, a raid was conducted in Uttam Nagar, leading to her arrest. According to the police, the accused confessed during interrogation to having stolen the foreign national's bag.

Record of 14 Prior Criminal Cases

Police records indicate that the accused has been involved in 14 previous criminal cases. She had recently been released from Tihar Jail. The police suspect that the accused leveraged her advanced age to avoid suspicion. Authorities are currently verifying her past criminal record and other relevant details. Key Role of the Police Team

The operation involved Sub-Inspector Sahil, Woman Sub-Inspector Khaiko Asune, Head Constable Bhagirath, Head Constable Niranjan, Woman Constable Mohini Bharti, and Constable Lalit. The team was led by Sub-Inspector S.N. Ojha, in-charge of the Sangtarashan police outpost. The entire operation was conducted under the supervision of the Station House Officer (SHO) of the Paharganj police station and the overall oversight of the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Paharganj. The police are now making efforts to recover the stolen mobile phone, passport, and visa documents. Additionally, the process of opening a 'history sheet' for the accused and initiating proceedings for his externment (district banishment) is being examined. Further investigation into the matter is underway.