New Delhi [India], July 23 (ANI): In a remarkable feat of detective work, the Delhi Police have apprehended a trusted employee accused of stealing approximately 4 kilograms of gold jewelry worth crores from a Karol Bagh showroom, Manoj Dosand.

The 36-year-old had been working at the store for over 12 years before he disappeared on June 26. An audit revealed a discrepancy of 3,980 grams of gold jewelry, all of which was accessible to Manoj.

'The prime suspect was Manoj Dosand, a trusted employee for over 12 years, who was responsible for managing the stock of 70-80 kg of antique and regular gold jewellery. He stopped reporting to work after June 26, and on June 29, his wife reported him missing at PS Gulabi Bagh,' according to Delhi Police.

A stock audit revealed a discrepancy of 3,980 grams of missing jewellery, all of which was accessible to Manoj. Accordingly, dated 03 July, under Section 306/3(5), BNS was registered at PS Karol Bagh.

The Delhi Police launched a massive interstate manhunt, tracking Manoj across multiple states, including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.

The team analysed CCTV footage and followed a trail of clues, including second-hand mobile phone purchases in Agra and Bangalore. After a 17-day search, Manoj was finally apprehended in Ooty, Tamil Nadu, on July 20.

The first breakthrough came when Manoj was traced to Agra, where he had purchased a second-hand OnePlus mobile phone and parked his motorcycle at Agra Cantt before boarding a train to Bangalore. In Bangalore, he was again caught on CCTV buying a second-hand Oppo mobile phone. Surveillance led the team to Chennai, and then to Ooty, where the suspect was finally located, staying at a Hotel in Ooty.

On 20 July, in a swift and coordinated raid, the team successfully apprehended the accused from the hotel.

Upon sustained interrogation, the accused revealed his full identity as Manoj, aged 36, resident of Pratap Nagar, Gulabi Bagh, New Delhi. From his possession, 100 grams of stolen gold, 2.3 lakh cash & 2 mobile phones were recovered.

During interrogation, Manoj revealed that he had developed a severe addiction to online gambling, which led him to steal the gold jewelry. He would sell the stolen items to local goldsmiths in Karol Bagh under the pretext of approval orders.

The accused confessed to stealing and disposing of approximately 4 kilograms of gold in this manner. He also disclosed that he had won 20 lakhs through online gambling just days before his arrest.

He disclosed that he began working at Vishal Chains showroom in February 2014, where he gradually developed a severe addiction to online gambling, initially through cricket betting during the 2011 World Cup and later via platforms like Dream-11 and Fairplay, particularly during the 2020 lockdown.

To fuel his gambling, he began stealing antique gold jewellery, mainly the type that was rarely audited. These were handed over to local goldsmiths in Karol Bagh under the pretext of approval orders. He confessed to having stolen and disposed of approximately. 4 kg of gold in this manner. On 26 July, he won 20 lakhs through online gambling and, fearing exposure, he withdrew 5 lakhs and 35 grams of gold from his locker (proceeds of the crime), took 25 lakhs from a bookie, and purchased 280 grams of gold worth 27 lakhs from Karol Bagh. He retained 100 grams of gold and 3 lakhs in cash, hid 215 grams of gold, and fled.

To evade detection, he frequently changed hotels and devices and travelled extensively across states.

The police recovered 100 grams of stolen gold, 2.3 lakh cash, and two mobile phones from Manoj's possession. Efforts are ongoing to recover the stolen gold, its proceeds, and identify co-conspirators involved in the Karol Bagh gold melting racket. (ANI)