Pune: Khadak Police have recovered property worth ₹26.33 lakh after conducting an extensive 25-day operation across Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand to trace valuables allegedly misappropriated by an employee entrusted with transporting them to Mumbai. The police team travelled more than 10,000 km, visited Uttar Pradesh three times and used technical surveillance and informers to track down the suspects and their associates.
Following a complaint by Jitendra Rishikesh Singh, a case was registered at Khadak Police Station under Section 316(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.
According to the police, Singh had entrusted his 20-year-old employee, Vishal Satyapal Chauhan, a native of Misa Kalan village in Etah district of Uttar Pradesh, with a bag containing gold and silver jewellery and ₹28 lakh in cash. Chauhan was instructed to deliver the bag to his employer's office in Mumbai. However, instead of reaching the destination, he allegedly got off midway and fled with the valuables.
Police launched an immediate search for Chauhan after registering the case. However, he had escaped to his native village and was allegedly moving between relatives' houses, making it difficult for investigators to trace him and recover the property.
During the investigation, police found that Chauhan's brother, Binesh Satyapalsingh Chauhan, along with his friends Vikas Kumar Jadhon, Radheshyam alias Piku Chauhan and Brijesh Chauhan, had allegedly conspired to commit the offence and conceal the stolen property.
A special team travelled across Uttar Pradesh, including Noida, and Dehradun in Uttarakhand, gathering information through technical analysis and confidential informers. Police found that the suspects were hiding in Etah, Kasganj and Gautam Buddh Nagar districts of Uttar Pradesh.
With the assistance of local police, the team apprehended the suspects, who allegedly confessed to their involvement in the crime.
During the subsequent investigation, police recovered two gold biscuits weighing 120 grams, collectively valued at ₹16.80 lakh, from the residence of suspect Vikas Kumar Jadhon.
In another operation, police searched the house of Binesh Chauhan's in-laws and arrested his brother-in-law, Brijesh Surendrasinh Chauhan, who allegedly helped the suspects commit the crime. Police recovered ₹7 lakh in cash, a gold ring and a silver chain from his residence.
The total value of the recovered property stands at ₹26.33 lakh. Police are investigating the matter further.
