Chandigarh: 2 domestic helps loot ₹30 lakh, 2 kg gold after sedating bizman

Police said the accused spiked the food of businessman Rakesh Singla, his driver Kamaljit and another domestic help Lakshmi, and gagged and tied up Rakesh’s mother Usha Singla, 67, before locking her up in a toilet

Two domestic helps, along with their three accomplices, stole ₹30 lakh in cash and 2 kg gold from the house of a businessman in Sector 33 after sedating and tying up the family members and other workers on Friday night.

The accused helps, Raju and Neetu, said to be from Nepal, were hired by the family around 10 days back. (HT Photo)

The accused helps, Raju and Neetu, said to be from Nepal, were hired by the family around 10 days back.

Police said the accused spiked the food of businessman Rakesh Singla, his driver Kamaljit and another domestic help Lakshmi, and gagged and tied up Rakesh’s mother Usha Singla, 67, before locking her up in a toilet.

Usha somehow managed to free herself around 4.30 am. She climbed out from the toilet window and with the help of a security guard, alerted her other son, Arvind Singla, who immediately rushed to house and sounded the police.

After responding to the scene, police found Rakesh, a heart patient, his driver and a domestic help lying unconscious. All were rushed to GMCH, Sector 32, Chandigarh.

Served spiked food, drinks in dinner

As per probe, on Friday night, the duo sedated all occupants of the house by offering them food and drinks laced with sedatives during dinner, causing them to fall unconscious.

As Usha did not consume the food, the accused tied up her hands, gagged her and locked her in the toilet, before stealing the cash and gold.

The accused had asked Usha about the where the money and jewellery was kept, before locking her up. As per Usha, the accused duo was joined by three unidentified persons in the crime.

The accused even took away the CCTV camera’s DVR before escaping to avoid being identified. Police are scanning CCTV cameras installed in the area for clues about the accused.

On Usha’s complaint, police lodged an FIR under Sections 395 (dacoity) and 328 (causing hurt by means of poison, etc., with intent to commit an offence) of the Indian Penal Code at the Sector 34 police station. On Saturday, police rounded up a suspect, but did not reveal more details.

‘Nepali gang’ could be behind crime

According to police, the modus operandi of the accused pointed at the involvement of an organised gang, dubbed “Nepali gang”, who rob people by infiltrating as domestic helps. The gang operates from Delhi and Mumbai, said police.

In March this year, two members of this gang, who stole cash and jewellery from a Sector-36 house after sedating their NRI employer and his 85-year-old mother in October 2021, were sentenced to life in prison by a Chandigarh court.

Gangsters had opened fire at victim’s house in 2020

Four years ago, on May 31, 2020, 17 gunshots were fired at Rakesh’s house in what police suspected was a targeted attack on his brother, liquor baron Arvind Singla. Police had later arrested members of Lawrence Bishnoi gang for the firing.

Arvind is one of the accused in the infamous Sector 37 house grab case from March 2021.

Along with 10 more accused, including a former journalist, suspended inspector and property dealers, Arvind is accused of torturing and illegally confining the victim, Rahul Mehta, 48, the only surviving heir of his family, in his 338-square-yard house in April 2017 and forcibly transferring the general power of attorney (GPA) to their names.

Arvind was booked as the property’s GPA was transferred to his name, along with another accused. He had surrendered before court and is currently out on bail.

After the GPA’s transfer, Rahul was abandoned at a stud farm in Gujarat in June 2017, before being shifted from one charitable home to another in Maharashtra, Delhi and Rajasthan, where he was finally traced. The matter remains under trial.