Inspired by crime show, Delhi man claims 'fake robbery' to fund his wedding

To finance his marriage, a 22-year-old man along with his friend claimed a fake robbery and were arrested in outer Delhi's Narela, police said Sunday. The accused, Gagandeep, was going to marry his girlfriend on July 20 and wanted money. So, he along with his friend, Vivek Raghav (30) concocted a false story, they said. With their arrest, police said they have recovered Rs 10 lakh.

According to police, Gagandeep, a regular watcher of 'Crime Patrol', a TV based crime series, took clues from the show about the techniques police use to trace the accused and made a plot to evade arrest. He did not use his own phone to call his friend Vivek, instead used the phone of a passerby so that he can't be located by the police. Implementing his plan, Gagandeep, a resident of Swaroop Nagar, reported an incident of robbery of Rs 10 lakh at Narela Industrial Area on the intervening night of July 11-12, police said.

In his complaint, Gagandeep stated that he was employed with Ashish Garg at DSIIDC Industrial Area, Narela. He was sent to Karol Bagh by his employer to procure Rs 10 lakh. He claimed at about 07.15 PM, when he reached Holambi Kalan on his motorcycle, while coming back to DSIIDC, Narela, two bike-borne men overtook his motorcycle and forcibly snatched his cash bag and ran away, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer North), Gaurav Sharma said.

Investigation revealed that the Gagandeep had not dialled 100 to report the incident and his phone was found to be switched off on the way from Bedan Pura, at Ashok Vihar. He called his employer through a phone taken from the passerby, the officer said. The passerby told the police that Gagandeep alleged that some boys had robbed his cash bag and took his phone, the officer added.

The accused alleged that he chased the robbers but after 100 metres, they moved towards GT Karnal road. He further stated that while chasing the criminals, some fault occurred in his bike and he got it repaired from a mechanic, the DCP said. Mechanic stated that wire of the ignition switch was pulled which normally does not happen until unless someone do it intentionally, the officer said.

Interrogation revealed that Gagandeep had gained faith of his employer who had shifted recently to Panipat. He plotted a false story with his friend Raghav who was also in need of money as he had borrowed loan from someone at his native place Chandok district Bulandsahar, police said.

With their arrest, police said they have recovered Rs 10 lakh from the accused.