Former news channel employee, aide held for robberies

A 26-year-old woman gangster, who had briefly worked for a local news channel, and her accomplice have been arrested for allegedly being involved in a series of robberies in South-eest Delhi.

Police on Sunday said the woman, Dimple worked in a local news channel, where she had conducted sting operations related to sex rackets before forming a six-member gang that committed several robberies, including targeting American tourists in Panipat in June this year.

The special staff of South West police was keeping tabs on the activities of the gang and arrested two of its members – Rohit and Sohail – on July 20. Their arrest  led to the arrest of Dimple and her another woman accomplice named Palak, said RA Sanjeev, DCP, South-west district police.

Dimple had passed Class X from an open school in Agra. She had been in a live-in relationship with Rohit, a resident of Uttam Nagar, since 2011.

“The duo worked in a local news channel, which basically conducted sting operations on sex trade rackets,” Sanjeev said.

In 2014, both of them were arrested by the Govind Puri Police in a robbery case, in which Dimple was jailed for 12 days, Sanjeev said.

After this, she formed a gang and was involved in several cases of carjacking, robbery and dacoity. Four robbed cars, jewellery, 14 mobile phones and two laptops were recovered from Dimple and Palak.

“Dimple and Palak used to wear ‘burqa’ to hide their identity, while committing crimes. Code words were used by the gang and Dimple was called ‘Aslam Bhai’ by the members. Raj Kumar, who bought valuables stolen by them, was also arrested,” he said. 

“Bade bhai ko le aana (bring the big brother) meant carry firearms, while ‘Pair mein dard hai’ (pain in the leg) meant one member arrested,” the DCP said.