New Delhi, Jun 4 (PTI) Delhi Police has cracked a sensational case of daylight robbery in Chandni Chowk, arresting four accused and recovering nearly the entire robbed amount of Rs 35 lakh, an official said on Wednesday.

The robbery was executed at gunpoint at the office of a textile business owner by a gang that came together through jail contacts and social media.

According to police, the accused were identified as Shekhar, Nikhil, Sahil and Tushar. Shekhar, the mastermind, had carried out a detailed reconnaissance of the target location.

“He came in contact with Tushar, a co-accused with a history of robbery, through his brother Divansh alias Ravan, currently lodged in Tihar Jail,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Raja Banthia said in a statement.

The police said that the gang used social media IDs to contact each other so police could not track them.

“On June 2, around 2 pm, three armed assailants stormed into the office of one Vicky Jain at Katra Neel in Chandni Chowk. Two of them broke open the shutter and fired at the glass gate to gain entry,” said the DCP.

Once inside, one of the robbers held Vicky and his staff at gunpoint, while the other looted Rs 35 lakh in cash from a cupboard and stuffed it into a black backpack. The assailants fled through a narrow lane, waving pistols to discourage any pursuit, he added.

Police said that further an FIR was registered at Lahori Gate Police Station and multiple teams were formed to nab the accused.

The DCP said that immediately after the robbery, police teams began combing through CCTV footage from over 100 cameras installed across Chandni Chowk, Lahori Gate, and Red Fort areas.

“The footage captured the suspects fleeing the crime scene and boarding an auto-rickshaw near Old Delhi Railway Station. Tracing the auto’s route, teams followed the suspects’ trail through Shahdara and into Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh,” he added.

Images from various CCTV cameras helped pinpoint the suspects’ movement and eventually led police to Indira Colony in Baghpat. Locals identified one of the men in the footage as Nikhil, a resident of Theodi in Baraut, and another as Shekhar.

Police raided Shekhar’s home and apprehended him. Shekhar confessed and helped nab Nikhil from his village. He also named Tushar and Sahil as co-conspirators and said his share of the loot, about Rs 13 lakh was at his residence.

Police said that during interrogation, Shekhar revealed that the gang’s formation began inside Tihar Jail. His brother Divansh alias Ravan, an inmate in a robbery case, introduced Shekhar to Tushar via social media. Tushar, too, was previously lodged in Tihar in a Dwarka robbery case. Upon checking jail and ICJS records, Tushar was traced to village Kalanaur in Rohtak.

“Shekhar and Nikhil confessed that after the robbery, they went to Baghpat, while Tushar and Sahil returned to Rohtak. Based on this lead, Sahil was arrested from Sudana in Rohtak and Tushar from Kalanaur. A total of Rs 33.90 lakh in cash was recovered Rs 13 lakh from Shekhar, Rs 6.5 lakh each from Nikhil and Sahil, and Rs 7.8 lakh from Tushar,” said the DCP.

Police said that two country-made pistols (desi kattas) and a live cartridge were also recovered from their possession.

The DCP said that Shekhar had conducted multiple recces of offices in Old Delhi after learning from an acquaintance that substantial cash transactions occurred there. After finalising the target, he called Tushar and Sahil to Delhi.

On the day of the robbery, Nikhil, Shekhar, Tushar and Sahil followed a well-planned script, Shekhar stayed on a motorcycle to oversee the operation from a distance while the other three executed the robbery. Following the crime, they escaped to Baghpat, where the looted cash was divided, the DCP said.

Further probe revealed that all the accused had prior criminal records. Shekhar had been booked under the Arms Act, Sahil had an assault case in his village and Tushar was previously arrested in a Dwarka robbery case.

“Their ability to reconnect through social media and jail ties added a sophisticated layer to the conspiracy,” said the DCP.

Sharing the profile of the accused, the DCP said that Shekhar (24), was the mastermind who chose the target and assembled the team.

Nikhil (22) is Shekhar’s friend and helped coordinate with Tushar and Sahil. Tushar (23) had a prior robbery case and fired at the glass gate during the heist. Sahil (21) also fired during the robbery and helped intimidate the complainant and his staff, the DCP alleged. PTI BM RT