Gang behind Mukherji Nagar jewellery showroom shooting busted, 4 nabbed
New Delhi: The Delhi Police’s Special Cell has arrested four accused persons linked to the recent shooting and extortion attempt at a jewellery showroom in Mukherji Nagar. Among those arrested are the main shooter and the bike rider captured in CCTV footage at the crime scene. The gang, allegedly involved in a broader extortion plot, had demanded Rs. 1 crore in protection money, citing notorious gangsters Neeraj Bawana, Naveen Bali, Bambiha, and Bhola as their backers, the officials informed on Monday.
Manoj C, DCP Special Cell, said that the incident, which occurred on August 24, involved gunshots being fired outside the showroom, causing panic in the area. CCTV footage showed a young man wearing a helmet firing multiple rounds at the showroom before throwing a slip demanding Rs. 1 crore. The suspect, along with an associate, was seen fleeing on a stolen white Apache motorcycle. Immediately following the attack, the showroom owner received a threatening phone call demanding protection money, prompting the police to register a case at Mukherji Nagar police station. Given the involvement of infamous gangsters and the serious nature of the crime, the investigation was swiftly transferred to the Special Cell.
The Special Cell, led by Inspectors Anuj Nautiyal, Devender Dahiya, and Chandan Kumar, and supervised by ACP Rahul Kumar Singh, conducted a meticulous investigation. They visited the crime scene, gathered information, and deployed local informers and sources on the ground. By August 28, 2024, the team zeroed in on suspects Nikki Bidhudi from Bulandshehr, UP, who rode the bike, and Hemant from Mathura, UP, who arranged the SIM card under a fake ID to make the extortion call, DCP Manoj said.
During interrogation, suspects confessed to conspiring with their gang for the shooting and extortion scheme. The main shooter, Ashok Kumar alias Aakash aka Katil, was arrested in Hapur, UP, and conspirator Harender aka KD from Greater Noida was also caught after going underground. The gang had planned the extortion by surveying high-profile jewelry showrooms and used a stolen motorcycle and fake ID to evade detection. On the attack day, Aakash and Nikki Bidhudi arrived at the Mukherji Nagar showroom, with Aakash carrying out the shooting and leaving a protection money demand. Aakash, a school dropout with prior criminal connections, and Nikki, a former school bus driver, were found with crucial evidence, including a pistol, the stolen motorcycle.
