NEW DELHI: Two men who first befriend women through dating apps, went to their houses, tie their hands and legs with tapes and rob them of money, jewelry or other valuable items, have been caught by the Delhi Police, ending their months-long heists.
The accused, identified as Vijay Kamal Kumar -- the mastermind and Rahul, committed a series of robberies with the same modus operandi.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) Ankit Singh said a 35-year-old woman lodged a complaint on May 31 stating that she met man who introduced himself as Jatin through “Dating Jaumo App” and that they used to talk over messages.
The woman told the cops that on May 30 at around 10.30 pm, the accused with whom she had been talking through the dating app reached her house in Uttam Nagar, Delhi with his accomplice. Soon after reaching, both the alleged men Vijay and Rahul bound the victim by tying her hands, legs and even mouth with a tape and assaulted her. The accused then robbed her gold ornaments, mobile phone, cash worth Rs 5000 and fled with the booty.
Accordingly, based on her complaint, the police registered a case under relevant sections. “On checking the CCTV footage, it came to light that the accused had reached there by a Creta car having fake number plates,” the DCP said.
When cops checked the mobile number with which the victim was talking to the alleged man, it was found that the said the accused was in contact with another woman who was residing in Rohini area. During the probe, it was further found out that the second woman too had been their victim and robbed in the similar way.
“It was also learnt that robbery at a jewelry shop at Sector 3 Rohini was also committed by the same culprits by using the same Creta car with fake number plate, in which six gold chains were robbed before decamping the spot. Further analysis of call detail records revealed that the mobile used to contact victim at Rohini was also snatched by them from the Sagarpur area,” the DCP said.
On June 18, cops received a tipoff and one of the culprits namely Rahul was nabbed outside Safdarjung Hospital and later the master mind accused Vijay Kamal Kumar was also apprehended from Vipin Garden.
The accused duo disclosed that initially through the dating app, they used to contact ladies and induced them to meet all alone at their houses. To mint easy money, they hatched plans to rob them.
Further investigations are underway, police added.
Modus operandi
According to the police, the duo used to meet the victim women at their home when they were alone. The accused then physically assault the victims and tie them to the bed using ropes and tapes before robbing the women with valuables and decamping the spot.