The Haryana Police’s Special Task Force, which is probing the multi-crore heist in Gurgaon, has learnt from central intelligence agencies that the alleged mastermind, gangster Vikas Lagarpuria, was intercepted while trying to flee from Dubai where he had been hiding.
However, he escaped and was caught again. This has delayed his deportation as the police in Dubai are planning to take legal action against him, said officials.
“Though Lagarpuria was tracked down after escaping from police custody, a fresh case has been registered against him. Police believe he did this to delay being deported,” an officer said.
Lagarpuria, who hails from the Badli village in Haryana’s Jhajjar, has more than 30 criminal cases against him, including those of murder, attempt to murder, robbery, extortion, and kidnapping. He was also booked under the MCOCA earlier.
The Haryana STF had said a lookout notice was issued against the gangster three months ago and a First Information Report (FIR) was lodged against him after they came to know that he had travelled abroad on a fake passport.
“Inputs related to his current location have been shared by both the state police and the central intelligence agencies. After Lagarpuria came to know that his location was being traced, he tried to leave Dubai on a forged passport. The Dubai Police was informed, and he was intercepted at the airport,” said a senior police officer.
A team of Delhi Police Special Cell is also coordinating with central intelligence agencies to get custody of Lagarpuria.
The multi-crore heist pertains to a theft case reported on August 21, 2021. The police probe so far has found that in the early hours of August 4, 2021, at least Rs 30 crore was stolen from the office/flat of Alpha G Corp Management Services Pvt. Ltd at Sector 84, Gurgaon. At least 15 people, including henchmen of the gangster and a Delhi Police ASI, have been arrested, and Rs 5.78 crore including foreign currency and gold has been recovered.
It was also found during the probe that Lagarpuria, in connivance with another main accused, Dr Suchender Jain Nawal, had allegedly planned the heist. The investigation also revealed that the arrested ASI, Vikas Gulia, was Lagarpuria’s childhood friend and allegedly sheltered him from the Delhi Police.
