New Delhi: A peon with Military Intelligence
was among four persons arrested here today for allegedly
murdering an octogenarian man and injuring an elderly woman
while robbing their houses two days ago, police said.
Dinabandu Mallik, who is reported absent from work for
the past one year, received stolen goods from robbers Saleem
and Sonu who allegedly murdered a retired government employee
Janakrakh Lekhi (86) at his Kalkaji residence, they said.
Saleem and Sonu along with three of their associates had
entered the house of Lekhi in the wee hours of May 12 and
gagged him. They then entered the adjoining house of Vidya
Gulbani (76) and gagged her before decamping with articles.
Lekhi, who was later declared brought dead at a hospital,
was found lying in a pool of blood by his maid while Gulbani
was found tied and injured by her grandson who came from an
outstation trip.
"We have arrested four persons -- Saleem, Sonu, Mallik
and Usman, a scrap dealer, who bought the stolen articles from
Mallik. Three more persons involved in the case are on the
run," Delhi Police Commissioner Y S Dadwal told reporters.
"Mallik is an employee of Defence Ministry and serving as
peon in the Military Intelligence wing at Army Head Quarters.
He is running absent from his duty since May 2009," he said.
Mallik, who allegedly received the stolen materials from
the robbers, resold it to Usman, he said. Mallik holds two
government accommodations in his name in Pushp Vihar Sector-5
and R K Puram Sector-2.
"He has rented out his Pushp Vihar accommodation to
Dawood Ahmad, a private company employee, who used to be his
tenant in R K Puram. He is presently staying in a rented house
in Govindpuri though the R K Puram house is lying vacant," the
officer said.
Mallik allegedly receives stolen property from persons
who are illiterate. He was also been involved in petty
offences of thefts, Dadwal said.
The arrests came after police received inputs that some
youths, who were involved in petty theft cases and used to
gather at Hans Raj Sethi Park, Kalkaji, were involved in the
incidents that raised the issue of safety of senior citizens
in the city . Police also received information that they were
again meeting in the same park early this morning.
"Saleem and Sonu were arrested when they reached the
spot. Their interrogation led to Mallik and subsequently to
Usman," Dadwal said.
During searches, police recovered a silver coin `Ajay
weds Sushmita, 23 June 2004` from Saleem which was robbed from
Gulbani`s house. Police also recovered an Italian cap of Lekhi
which was presented to him by his Italy-based daughter.
"These recoveries proved that they were involved in the
incidents. Saleem, Sonu and their associates are vagabonds.
They have been taking food from Kalkaji Mandir and Bhairon
Mandit Bhandaras and sleep on the pavements. They have no
permanent place to reside in Delhi," he said.
Virendra Chahal, Additional Commissioner (southeast),
said Mallik and Saleem had also taken a room on rent in Noida
Sector to hide themselves after committing major crimes
in Delhi.
During interrogation, Chahal said, Saleem and Sonu told
police that they had consumed alcohol with their associates in
Hans Raj Sethi Park and then committed robberies in the two
Kalkaji houses.
"A screw driver and pipe wrench used by them for removing
the grills of windows to gain entry were also recovered," he
said.
Mallik was arrested after they disclosed that they sold a
silver tea pot along with two bowls robbed from Gulbani`s
house to him.
They also told police that the remaining looted articles
and cash have been taken away by their associates.
"They told us that Mallick was to meet them in the park.
We laid a trap and he was arrested. Mallick told us that he
sold the tea pot to Usman after which he was also arrest,"
Chahal said.
PTI
