Airport Lost & Found turns into loot and split for two employees
NEW DELHI: The IGI Airport Police team has arrested two Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) employees for allegedly stealing $2,500 from a lost and found bag.
The police were informed about the incident through a complaint registered at the IGI Airport Police Station
The accused were identified as Gaurav Kumar (38), a resident of Nidhi Khand, Indrapuram, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, and Prakash Chand (59), a resident of Raj Nagar, Palam Colony, Delhi.
According to the police, the accused were working in the Lost & Found Articles Department when they committed the theft. Both were taken into custody following an investigation that uncovered their involvement in the crime.
The incident came to light when Ms. Roshan Patel, a U.S. citizen and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholder, reported her missing bag on September 11, 2024.
Upon arrival in Delhi from the United States, she lost track of her green army bag, which contained $2,500 along with other personal belongings.
The bag was later found by CISF personnel and deposited in the DIAL Lost Property Department.
However, when Ms. Patel retrieved it, the cash was missing. She subsequently lodged an e-FIR with the IGI Airport Police Station on February 5, under Section 303(2) BNS.
To solve the case, a special investigative team was formed under Inspector Sushil Goyal, SHO of IGI Airport Police Station, with SI Amit and Constable Sumit leading the probe.
CCTV footage from multiple cameras across the terminal was thoroughly analysed, revealing that the bag remained untampered with while
at the terminal.
This led investigators to scrutinise the employees of the Lost & Found department. After detailed questioning, suspicion fell on Gaurav Kumar and Prakash Chand.
Initially, both employees denied any wrongdoing. However, when confronted with incriminating CCTV footage from their office, they confessed to the theft.
Gaurav, a B.Com graduate working as a Lost Property Operator, revealed that on September 12, 2024, a CISF staff member deposited the missing bag in their office.
While transferring the bag to another Lost Property room at Terminal 2, he found the $2,500 inside. He then conspired with Prakash Chand, a Junior Manager in the department, to steal the money.
Gaurav admitted to deleting the cash entry from the system with Prakash’s assistance. They later exchanged the stolen currency at a money exchange outlet in Connaught Place, Delhi, and split the amount equally. Both men confessed to using the stolen money for personal expenses. Following their arrest, both accused were presented in court and sent to judicial custody. The police have assured that strict action will be taken against employees found misusing their positions at the airport.
The investigation remains ongoing to determine if the accused were involved in any other similar incidents.
