Accused murderer Delhi doctor’s exit plan

The Delhi Crime Branch arrested the accused from the India-Nepal border.

New Delhi:

The mastermind of the murder case of a prominent doctor in south Delhi’s Jangpur in May this year changed at least eight mobile phones and 20 SIM cards while on the run, police said today after his arrest. Police said they chased him for 1,600 km all the way to the India-Nepal border, where they finally caught the accused Vishnuswarup Shahi.

Vishnuswarup Shahi also changed his name six times and used fake identity documents wherever he went, police said, adding that they found documents with the names of Vishnu Swarup Shahi, Shakti Sai, Sathya Sai, Surya Prakash Shahi, Gagan Oli and Krishna Shahi.

According to police, when he was arrested he was using the false name “Gagan Oli”.

The doctor, 63-year-old Yogesh Chandra Paul, was found murdered in his home in Jangpur, where he lived with his wife. Although his body was found in the kitchen, the rooms showed signs of vandalism, suggesting a robbery. Police

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sanjay Sen said the accused looted the house before killing the doctor. He said the police had seen many other accused on the CCTV cameras installed around the house, which proved the involvement of more than one accused.

READ | 63-year-old doctor killed by robbers at his Delhi home: police

House help Basanti and two others Akash and Himanshu Joshi were arrested during the investigation, while mastermind Vishnuswarup Shahi and four of his aides were on the run.

The Crime Branch, after taking over the case, launched a massive search for the mastermind during which several old mobile numbers of Vishnuswaroop Shahi were found, the DCP said. The crime branch analyzed call detail records (CDR) for half a month during which they found new active numbers used by the accused, Mr. Sen said, adding that Vishnuswaroop Shahi changed eight mobile phones and 20 SIM cards.

The police received information that Vishnuswaroop Shahi was hiding in the Suket Valley in Himachal Pradesh, from where he was planning to flee to Nepal. The accused fled to Dehradun before the police team reached his hideout in Himachal, police said.

From there, Vishnuswarup Shahi boarded a bus and headed towards the India-Nepal border, police said, adding that the team also traveled 1,600 km within 24 hours, chasing him all the way to the border. They managed to arrest him this morning near the border.

Police said the slain doctor’s assistant told Vishnuswaroop Shahi about the huge pile of money and jewelry kept in the doctor’s house, after which the mastermind hatched a plan to kill the doctor. His assistants Bhim Jora and others were involved in planning the robbery and murder. Bhim Jora’s wife was also involved by Vishnuswaroop Shahi in planning the murder.

From the heap of loot, Vishnuswaroop Shahi received 40,000 rupees and 13 grams of gold. His wife and daughter live in Solan in Himachal Pradesh. Police said he had a criminal history with arrests in 2018 and 2020.