Maid, three others arrested for robbery

NEW DELHI - A maid has been arrested for masterminding a robbery earlier this week at the house where she worked in north Delhi, police said Saturday. Three others, including her husband, were also arrested.

Kanima, 27, her husband Ajay, 30 and Sonu, 25, and Ganga, 28, were arrested Friday for the robbery in Shakti Nagar Wednesday, a senior police officer said.

Two masked assailants barged in the house of Monica Aggarwal while she was alone with her infant son and Kanima. “The assailants asked about Monica’s brother-in-law, Dr Rajkumar, who was not present at the house. Thereafter, one of them pointed a knife at her son and told Monica to keep quiet,” the police officer said.

Monica, however, started screaming for help and Kanima came forward to help but the assailants locked her in a room before ransacking the house and and fleeing with cash and jewellery.

While investigating, police noticed that an electronic lock was installed at the house’s main gate and entry of an outsider was possible only when someone opened it from the inside.

“During investigation, certain activities of Kanima were found suspicious. Later on she disappeared from her residence,” the officer said, adding this increased suspicion of her involvement in the crime.

Kanima was traced and questioned. During her interrogation, she broke down and confessed her involvement. She revealed that she and her husband had planned the robbery knowing that most of the family members had gone out. They roped in Sonu and Ganga, promising them a share of the looted money and jewellery, and it was these two who entered the house after Kanima opened the door from inside.

Police said they had recovered stolen articles worth Rs.300,000.