Delhi: Niece held for murdering, robbing 60-year-old uncle

A 60-year-old stock market investor was found dead in his Rohini home following a robbery. 

The police have detained the deceased's niece, Simran Taneja, a primary school teacher, as the suspected mastermind.

Two associates, a gym trainer and a Class 12 student, were also apprehended in connection with the crime. Around Rs 1.5 lakh in cash and gold jewellery were stolen, with Rs 70,000 and some jewellery recovered.

An absconding accused, Himanshu, a gym owner, is still being sought by the police. A 60-year-old man was found dead on September 2, Wednesday, in his house in northwest Delhi's Rohini, with the police detaining his niece and two of her associates in connection with the robbery-cum-murder, an officer said.

During investigation, it emerged that the accused had learnt that the victim had recently sold some property worth Rs 75 lakh.

"Simran Taneja, niece of the victim, then hatched the conspiracy with her friend Himanshu, a gym owner, with the intention of robbing the cash and valuables," the deputy commissioner of police (Rohini) Shashank Jaiswal said.

Rakesh Khanna was found unconscious at his house in Sector 3 in Rohini on Tuesday, with his house ransacked, suggesting robbery.

The stock market investor was alone in the house when the incident took place.

The officer said that a PCR call was received at 8.14 pm on Tuesday, reporting a house theft and an unconscious person inside the premises.

"He was taken to Jaipur Golden Hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead," Jaiswal said.

"Prima facie, there were no visible injuries on the body," he added.

Investigation Leads To Family Member : The officer said that at around 7.30 pm, three persons entered Khanna's house while another associate kept watch outside.

They hit the house after conducting a recce on Sunday, he said.

"The group allegedly entered the premises with the intention of committing robbery. Around Rs 1.5 lakh in cash and certain gold jewellery were reported stolen," Jaiswal said.

A preliminary investigation led the police to zero in on Simran Taneja, a 23-year-old primary school teacher, and a niece of Khanna.

The Burari resident is suspected to be the mastermind behind the robbery and death, which she executed with the help of a gym trainer friend and other accomplices.

The officer said Taneja played a key role in facilitating the entry of the other accused into the house.

"Taneja, a resident of Burari, allegedly took Khanna's wife and her own mother to a fair in Paschim Vihar, leaving her uncle alone at home. She later reached the house in an autorickshaw and went upstairs, asking Khanna to open the door, following which the other accused gained entry," the DCP said.

The accused were wearing helmets, caps and masks to hide their identification, he said. "After entering the house, they overpowered Khanna and pressed his mouth to prevent him from raising an alarm. He fell unconscious during the assault and subsequently died," the DCP said.

The officer said that a PCR call was received at 8.14 pm on Tuesday, reporting a house theft and an unconscious person inside the premises.

Arrests Made, Search For Absconder Continues : "She is the niece of the deceased. Two of her alleged associates, Chirag (22), a resident of Burari, who works as a gym trainer and Paras (19), a class 12 student, were also apprehended in connection with the case," the DCP said.

Another accused, Himanshu, also a Burari resident and a gym owner, is absconding.

According to the police, Paras was earlier booked in a criminal case at Mukherjee Nagar police station.

The police have recovered around Rs 70,000 in cash, and a few gold jewellery articles reported stolen from the house.

A case under sections 103(1) (punishment for murder), 309(4) (robbery) and 3(5) (common intention) of the BNS has been registered at South Rohini Police Station.

Efforts are on to nab Himanshu and recover the remaining stolen items.