Rajasthan man’s election ambitions behind Rs 38L theft in Ghatlodia: Police

Ahmedabad: In a bizarre twist to a housebreaking case, the Ahmedabad police said a burglary in the city was allegedly carried out to bankroll a forthcoming sarpanch election campaign in Rajasthan.The Zone-1 Local Crime Branch (LCB) on Monday arrested a 24-year-old man from Rajasthan for his alleged role in a break-in at Ghatlodia and recovered stolen goods worth Rs 38.63 lakh. The accused, identified as Dinesh Meena, a resident of Dungarpur district in Rajasthan, told investigators that the theft was committed to raise funds to defeat a rival candidate in his native village's sarpanch election.
The burglary took place between Jan 22 and 25 at a bungalow in New Nikita Park Society, Ghatlodia, while the owner, Sanket Thakkar, was away in Rajkot with his family.According to police, Meen and his aides — Kamlesh Kalasuva and Ishwar Kalasuva — conducted a recce of the area for several days before striking. They allegedly accessed the terrace, removed the glass pane of a ventilation window and entered the locked house and allegedly stole gold ornaments worth Rs 12.7 lakh and silver jewellery worth Rs 33,000.A case was registered at Ghatlodia police station under relevant sections of the BNS. Given the high value of the stolen property, the LCB team led by police sub-inspector G K Chavda launched an intensive probe. Officers scanned footage from more than 200 CCTV cameras in the vicinity and carried out technical surveillance.Investigators spotted three men arriving on a motorcycle and parking near the targeted bungalow. The vehicle's trail eventually led police to Rajasthan. Acting on specific inputs, the LCB team detained Meena from Dungarpur and recovered gold jewellery worth Rs 37.39 lakh, silver ornaments worth Rs 84,255, a motorcycle valued at Rs 30,000 and a mobile phone worth Rs 10,000, taking the total seizure to Rs 38.63 lakh.During interrogation, Meena revealed that he and his associates, Kamlesh and Ishwar, had travelled from Dungarpur to Ahmedabad on a motorcycle specifically to commit the theft. Police said efforts were underway to nab the two absconding accused. The Ahmedabad police are also probing whether the trio was involved in other thefts in Gujarat or Rajasthan.