Fake ED raid in Delhi: Domestic help masterminds robbery at 86-year-old’s New Friends Colony home, ITBP constable among accused

After scanning through 350 CCTV cameras and tracking several mobile phone numbers, the cops’ search concluded at a residence in Vaishali, Ghaziabad. After analysing various numbers, the investigation zeroed in on Rekha Devi (40), who has worked as a domestic help at the victim’s residence and had allegedly hatched the conspiracy. The police also found that she was a frequent visitor to the Vaishali house.

Once the car was traced to Ghaziabad, the police deployed technical surveillance, including mobile tower dump data and IMEI tracking, to identify phones that were active at the New Friends Colony residence as well as the Vaishali parking location at the relevant times.

The data pointed to the residence of Pooja Rajput, Rekha’s sister-in-law and the co-conspirator. Local intelligence further revealed that Rekha was a frequent visitor to the Vaishali address, confirming suspicions of an insider role in planning the robbery.

When police raided the Vaishali residence on February 25, they recovered crucial evidence used to stage the fake ED raid. Among the seized items were a complete Deputy Commandant uniform of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), a wireless set box meant to mimic official police communication, and a fake identity card. Seven stolen luxury watches and jewellery were also recovered from the premises, directly linking the occupants to the crime.

DCP, South-East, Dr Hemant Tiwari said, “Rekha allegedly provided inside information about the household layout and valuables, enabling the suspects to execute the staged raid convincingly. Efforts are underway to apprehend three absconding suspects: Prakash, a serving constable of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Manish and Updesh Singh Thapa, a retired army personnel. The Bolero car used in the crime is registered in Thapa’s name”.