Inspired by 'Special 26', three criminals pretending to be CBI officers held

Three criminals of dreaded gangster Neeraj Bawania's gang have been arrested after they, inspired by Bollywood movie "Special 26", robbed a jeweller's residence while impersonating CBI and Delhi Police officials, police said on Monday.

The three identified as Neeraj, 38, Madan, 28, and Narender Vesnav, 30, were found involved in various daylight dacoities as clad in khaki, they targeted their victim's residence after pretending to be Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or police officers.

"They were arrested on Sunday from Shahbad Dairy area in west Delhi on a tip-off, when they came to meet one of their associates," said Deputy Commissioner of Police G. Ramgopal Naik, adding some weapons and Delhi Police uniforms were recovered from their possession.

"During interrogation, they told police that they, on July 26, were involved in dacoity of a jeweller's residence in Karol Bagh. Wearing khaki dress and Delhi Police uniforms, they had raided the jeweller's residence on the pretext of a CBI raid. They overpowered all the family at gun point and robbed some jewellery but had to escaped after a woman residing on upper floor raised alarm an in the society," he said.

"Neeraj revealed that he is a relative of Neeraj Bawania and used to run a jewellery shop in Bawana before he joined Bawania's gang. They used to visit Koocha Mahajani and Chandni Chowk market to buy jewellery and came in contact with one 'Pundit' who worked as a cashier in Koocha Mahajani market.

"Pundit shared details of market's richest jeweller so they could rob him. As per the plan, Madan, Vesnav and six other gang members collected information about the family of jeweller. They watched 'Special 26' several times carefully. They prepared their characters similar to movie characters for executing the crime," said Naik.

A manhunt is on to arrest their other associates, he added.

--IANS

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