NEW DELHI: In a daring heist reminiscent of a Bollywood blockbuster, criminals executed a meticulously planned robbery in Delhi’s Baba Haridas Nagar, West Delhi, by posing as officers from the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The perpetrators, emulating the infamous heist film “Special 26,” in which actor Akshay Kumar portrayed a character conducting fake raids as a counterfeit CBI and Income Tax officer, made off with a staggering sum of Rs 3.20 crore. Fortunately, the Delhi Police managed to apprehend three individuals involved in the crime.
The crime unfolded when the accused forcibly entered the victim’s residence late on a Friday night, wielding firearms, and proceeded to rob him. As the investigation unfolded, the police were able to recover approximately Rs 1.27 crore of the stolen amount.
According to a senior police officer, the incident was reported to the police control room (PCR) during the night bridging Friday and Saturday. The victim, Ravi, recounted that around 8 pm on that fateful Friday night, he was standing near his house when a white car pulled up alongside him. Three individuals alighted from the vehicle and instructed him to join them inside the car, identifying themselves as ED department employees.
Ravi’s ordeal escalated when the assailants brandished a pistol, accusing him of handling Hawala money and demanding the entire sum received from a property sale. Coerced into compliance, Ravi was escorted back to his residence, where the criminals forcibly took away Rs 3.20 crore. In a further violation of his privacy, the robbers also seized mobile phones belonging to Ravi and his mother.
Prompted by Ravi’s complaint, the police swiftly registered a First Information Report (FIR) and assembled a team to pursue the culprits. Subsequently, one of the suspects, identified as Amit, was arrested in Gohana, Haryana. During his apprehension, the police recovered Rs 70 lakh in cash, a firearm, and the vehicle used in the heist.
Amit’s interrogation revealed that he had received intelligence regarding a multimillion-rupee property transaction conducted by the victim. In collaboration with his associates, he devised a plan to steal the proceeds. The criminal plot was meticulously crafted, drawing inspiration from the 2013 Bollywood hit “Special 26.” Their ruse was soon unraveled by the victim upon initiating the fake raid, prompting the robbers to resort to armed theft.
Two more suspects, Rohit (21) and Manish, were arrested in connection with the case, with a partial sum of the stolen money successfully recovered. Investigations and manhunts are ongoing in Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh as authorities strive to apprehend additional suspects involved in this audacious heist.