Delhi: Court sends accused in Bhogal jewellery shop burglary case to two-day police custody

He was brought to Delhi yesterday on a three-day transit remand after his arrest by Chhattisgarh Police.

Metropolitan magistrate Akanksha Garg granted two days of custody remand after hearing the submissions of Delhi police.

Delhi police said that the accused committed a burglary in a jewellery shop in the Bhogal area. He broke into the strongroom and committed the theft of ornaments worth Rs 20.5 crore.

It is alleged by the shop owner that he closed the showroom around 8 pm on September 24. The next day was a holiday. He became aware of the incident when he opened his showroom on September 26.

According to the Delhi Police, he was arrested under Section 41.1 (D) of the Criminal Procedure Code by PS Civil Lines, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, in possession of stolen valuables, including approximately 18.675 kg of gold and Rs 2.5 lakhs in cash.

The accused, Lokesh Srivas, was arrested in Chhattisgarh in a joint operation by Chhattisgarh and Delhi Police on September 29. A Chhattisgarh Police official had said earlier that the accused was "a high-profile thief" and indulged in "big burglaries". Police officials also said that 18kg of gold and diamonds had been seized.

Delhi Police scanned footage from over 1,000 CCTV cameras in its probe into the sensational burglary case in the city's Bhogal area with the main accused, who has been arrested in Chhattisgarh, also "sleeping in the shop overnight" before decamping with jewellery. (ANI)