The crime branch of the Delhi Police has arrested a key suspect in the murder and robbery case of Dr Yogesh Chander Paul, a 63-year-old doctor, who was found dead in his house in Jangpura Extension in May. The accused used eight mobile phones and 20 SIM cards to evade the police.

The accused, identified as Vishnuswaroop Shahi, was arrested on November 2 at the Indo-Nepal border following a 1,600-km chase by a police team.

On the evening of May 10, police responded to a call about a possible murder at Dr. Paul’s residence. Upon arrival, they found Dr. Paul’s body in the kitchen. The house was ransacked, indicating a robbery.

Police investigations soon revealed that a group, allegedly led by Shahi, was responsible for the murder. Three suspects, including the family’s help, Basanti, and two associates, Akash Kumar and Himanshu Joshi, were arrested soon after.

However, Shahi, who was also known by several aliases, including Shakti Sai and Krishna Shahi, and believed to be the mastermind, managed to evade capture for several months along with four other accomplices.

HOW HE WAS ACCUSED

In their efforts to find Shahi, investigators analyzed phone records and found that he had changed about eight phones and more than 20 SIM cards to avoid detection. The surveillance led the police to Himachal Pradesh’s Suket Valley, but Shahi fled the area by the time the team arrived.

The pursuit continued through Dehradun, where Shahi was last seen boarding a bus to the Nepal border. After a relentless chase, the Crime Branch team nabbed him at Banbasa on the Nepal border in the early hours of November 2.

HOW ACCUSED PLANNING THE ROBBERY

During interrogation, Shahi revealed that Basanti informed him about money and valuable jewelery at Dr Paul’s house. Shahi and his accomplice Bhim Jora, along with Jora’s wife, planned and executed the robbery after conducting a reconnaissance of the property.

The fight turned violent, and Dr. Paul was killed in the act. Shahi and his gang then fled to Nepal, sharing the stolen money and jewellery. Shahi allegedly received Rs 40,000 and 13 grams of gold from the loot.

HISTORY OF SHAHI’S CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES

Shahi, originally from Kalikot, Nepal, has a history of criminal activity in India. He was previously arrested in 2018 and 2020 for drug trafficking under the NDPS Act in Solan, Himachal Pradesh. After getting bail, he failed to appear in court and was later declared a felon.

He reportedly used multiple identities and false identities to evade law enforcement.

FAKE IDs, 4 MOBILE PHONES RECOVERED

Police recovered four mobile phones and various fake identification documents in different names from Shahi at the time of his arrest.

Shahi, who had studied only up to class five, is suspected of using domestic helpers as informants to identify targets with valuable assets. The investigation is ongoing, with police exploring potential links to other crimes in the region.