Delhi police arrest man who snatched MP's gold chain after CCTV breakthrough
The accused, Sohan Rawat, who allegedly snatched MP R Sudha's gold chain was nabbed by the Anti-Auto Theft Squad near his residence in the Okhla industrial area
After an intensive 48-hour operation that involved analysing over 5,000 CCTV clips and deploying 80 personnel across three districts, Delhi police on Wednesday (August 6) arrested the man accused of snatching the gold chain of Lok Sabha MP R Sudha near the Embassy of Poland in the high-security Chanakyapuri area.
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Accused arrested
The accused, identified as Sohan Rawat, was apprehended by the Anti-Auto Theft Squad (AATS) near his residence in the Okhla industrial area of South East Delhi.
According to police, Rawat has a long criminal record, with 26 criminal cases previously registered against him. He had been released from jail recently, on July 27. Reportedly, Rawat was last arrested on April 16 in connection with a motorcycle theft and was granted bail on June 27.
Chain recovered
Joint Commissioner of Police (Southern Range), Sanjay Kumar Jain, said Rawat was arrested at around 6 am on Wednesday near the BRT corridor, allegedly while attempting to dispose of the stolen chain. '
Police reportedly recovered two scooters, one of which was used in the crime, four stolen mobile phones, and the stolen gold chain.
“The chain and the scooter used in the crime, along with four stolen mobile phones and another scooter, have been recovered from him. Cameras installed under the Safe City Project played a key role in solving the case,” Jain said.
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Search operations
CCTV footage revealed that the accused was wearing a colourful full-sleeve T-shirt and a helmet, and riding a black scooter at a very high speed, before and after he targeted the MP. He was later seen fleeing towards Moti Bagh in South Delhi.
To track him down, Delhi Police mobilised 24 teams from multiple units, including the New Delhi district police, Crime Branch, Special Cell, and Special Staff.
Within two days, they scanned footage from over 1,500 CCTV cameras, including 900 cameras which were installed around embassies and in the vicinity of the incident and questioned more than 200 individuals, focusing on repeat offenders as well as chain snatchers recently released from jail or out on bail.
Search operations were also conducted across more than 25 localities in Chanakyapuri, Sarojini Nagar, and R K Puram.
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Caught on CCTV
The breakthrough came after the CCTV footage from the Safe City Project was examined. Inspector Umesh Yadav’s team identified Rawat by his distinctive features, full sleeves used to hide a Shiva tattoo and the initials "SN", as well as a uniquely shaped nose.
The same team had previously arrested him last July in a similar chain-snatching case. After confirming Rawat’s identity, police tracked him using information from his estranged wife and a close friend, who unknowingly helped police track his active mobile number.
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High-profile case
On August 4, Tamil Nadu Congress MP Sudha reported that her gold chain was allegedly snatched near the Polish embassy during her morning walk.
In a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, she called the incident shocking and noted that it took place in a “high-security zone.” The MP also claimed she sustained neck injuries and that her clothes were torn during the attack.