The Hindu : New Delhi News : Three arrested for killing jeweller

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 05, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Three arrested for killing jeweller

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, MAY 4. Three persons have been arrested by the Anti-Auto Theft Squad of the South Delhi police for allegedly killing a jewellery dealer who had gone missing after leaving his South Delhi house on April 7.

According to the police, Mahesh Soni, a jewellery dealer, had left his Madangir residence in South Delhi in connection with some business on April 7 around 1-30 p.m. However, he did not return following which his wife reported the matter to the police. A case of kidnapping was registered and investigations taken up.

Investigations led the police to one Mukesh Aggarwal, a jeweller in Rajouri Garden, West Delhi. During sustained interrogation he allegedly confessed to having killed Mahesh. His brother, Ashok, and two other associates, Jitender and Deepak, were also involved in the conspiracy. At his instance, the police arrested Jitender and Ashok. A hunt is on for Deepak.

During interrogation, Mukesh told the police that he had known Mahesh since March. He along with Ashok, Deepak and Jitender hatched the conspiracy and called up Mahesh on April 7 asking him to come to his jewellery shop in Raja Garden. He told him that a man wanted to buy a particular kind of diamond-studded jewellery. He had already sent his wife to her parents' house as per plan. Mahesh reached Mukesh's shop in the afternoon.

Mukesh asked Mahesh to have a cup of coffee with him at his home -- where Ashok, Jitender and Deepak were already present -- and then meet the customer. Mahesh agreed.

In the house, Ashok served drug-laced coffee to Mahesh, which he did not drink as it tasted bitter. The foursome then overpowered and strangulated him. The jewellery, worth Rs. 5 to 7 lakhs, which Mahesh had brought was shared by the four accused. They wrapped the body in a polythene sheet and put it in the store-room. One of them then took Mahesh' scooter and left it in Moti Nagar market.

Around 4 a.m. on April 8, the accused took Mahesh's body on a cart and dumped it in Raghubir Nagar drain. The police have recovered the highly mutilated body from the drain at their instance.

The police said 29-year-old Mukesh, a resident of Gaya in Bihar, was a school dropout and had come to Delhi in 1996. He began working as a tailor's assistant in Chandni Chowk where he gained working knowledge of diamond and stones. In 1998, he went to jail for eloping with a Chandni Chowk girl and came out the same year after being convicted. He was arrested again for duping another jeweller after taking him to Allahabad.

Following his release, Mukesh opened a jewellery shop, Balaji Jewellers, in Raja Garden and also rented a plush accommodation in the area. He also married an 18-year-old girl from Moti Nagar and had been living a lavish life.

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