Investigators in Rajasthan have cracked the high-value commercial burglary reported from the main market area of Sultanpur town in Kota district. Two key operatives belonging to an interstate criminal syndicate based in Delhi were apprehended following a coordinated operation in the national capital. The arrested suspects have been identified as 24-year-old Adil and 19-year-old Aftab, also known by the alias Baggu. Police investigations established the direct involvement of the notorious Saleem housebreaking syndicate, which operates across Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. Sizable teams are pursuing the absconding syndicate kingpin Saleem along with his associate Imran.
Dawn Break-in at Shri Dev Jewelers
The targeted establishment, Shri Dev Jewelers, is situated near Bhaunra Circle in Sultanpur and is run by local merchant Parmanand Gurjar. On the evening of 17 October 2026, the shop owner had secured the premises before heading home for the night. Early the next morning on 18 October, at approximately 5 AM, a group of 4 to 5 unidentified intruders arrived at the spot. The culprits forcibly dismantled the primary shutter and broken padlocks to gain unauthorized entry. They ransacked the storage cabinets, carting away gold and silver ornaments valued between Rs 60 lakh and Rs 70 lakh. Furthermore, the intruders emptied the shop safe, fleeing with cash reserves amounting to roughly Rs 3 to 4 lakh. A formal criminal complaint was promptly registered at the Sultanpur police station.
Surveillance Tracking and Vehicle Detection
Given the scale of the financial loss, SP Sujit Shankar directed ASP Ramkalyan Meena and Itawa DSP Omprakash to supervise the probe. A dedicated enforcement squad comprising personnel from the Sultanpur police station and the Anti Theft Cell was formed. Officers reviewed digital video streams recorded by surveillance devices near the crime scene and along exit corridors. Investigators spotted a suspicious Nissan Sunny sedan maneuvering through the vicinity during the crime window. Tracking the vehicle showed that the car had cleared the Zhalimpura 8-lane toll checkpoint and initially sped in the direction of Mumbai.
Counterfeit Plates and Digital Toll Paper Trails
To throw law enforcement off their trail, the suspects had outfitted the vehicle with forged registration plates registered under a Maharashtra series. The investigation team conducted continuous technical scrutiny and video analysis spanning roughly 28 to 30 hours. This thorough tracking revealed that the perpetrators had traveled directly from Delhi to Kota, executed the burglary, made a U-turn along the Mumbai corridor, and sped straight back toward the capital. Surveillance cameras finally documented the suspicious vehicle clearing the Hilalpur toll plaza outside Delhi. Official motor vehicle records revealed that the car was formally registered to Saleem, son of Abdul Zaidi, a resident of Delhi. Furthermore, transaction data tied to online toll payments uncovered the operational role played by Imran.
Delhi Raids and Criminal History
Armed with digital evidence and transit logs, the police task force executed a raid in Delhi, arresting Adil and Aftab on 30 October. During initial custodial interrogation, both individuals confessed to committing the heist alongside Saleem and Imran. Police records verify that the syndicate chief Saleem originally hails from Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh, whereas Imran resides in the Sonia Vihar neighborhood of Delhi. The two fugitives have multiple cases registered against them across Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, spanning homicide, robbery, dacoity, armed housebreaking, and vehicle theft. Saleem is designated as an habitual offender facing prosecution under the Arms Act and murder charges. The joint team from Sultanpur police and the Anti Theft Cell is currently pursuing the remaining suspects to recover the stolen bullion and cash.
