No face in CCTV, no forensic evidence: How Delhi Police cracked ‘perfect’ murder plot, traced killer to Rajasthan

Police from Delhi arrested a former caretaker for the murder of an elderly couple and the theft of their jewellery in east Delhi’s Shahdara, following a nearly 500-kilometre chase that ended in Rajasthan, an official said on Wednesday.

Delhi Police said the crime initially appeared to be a “perfect” murder with no obvious evidence left behind.

The double murder took place on the intervening night of January 3 and 4. The accused, identified as Ashok Kumar Sen (32), a resident of Nangloi in West Delhi, was arrested on Tuesday.

The victims were identified as Virendra Kumar Bansal (71) and his wife Parvesh Bansal (65), news agency PTI reported.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Central) Madhur Verma told the news agency that the case came to light around 12.30 am on January 4, when a PCR call was received stating that the caller’s parents were lying unconscious at their residence and appeared to be dead.

A police team rushed to the house and found Parvesh lying unconscious on a bed in a room near the outer gate. In another room, Virendra was found on a bed with blood oozing from his mouth and nose, bruises around both eyes and, a mark resembling a nail wound on his head.

"Both were rushed to a hospital, where doctors declared them brought dead. Given the gravity of the double murder, multiple teams were formed," Verma said.

Investigators said the crime scene pointed to careful planning. The suspect had fully covered his body, worn gloves, and avoided leaving physical or forensic traces. CCTV footage showed a person entering and leaving the building only through the cameras' blind spots, making identification difficult.

Police teams scanned footage from dozens of cameras and questioned relatives, neighbours and anyone with direct or indirect links to the couple.

Call detail records of more than 50 mobile numbers were analysed, along with area-dump data.

Officers also examined records of over 300 known criminals with similar methods, police said.

"During questioning, the team learnt that the elderly couple, who had been unwell, had employed caretakers in the past. One caretaker, who had worked for about two months, was examined in detail, but found no incriminating evidence against him," the Joint CP said.

Suspicion then turned to another former caretaker. When police tried to reach him, his wife claimed he had gone on a pilgrimage to the Khatu Shyam temple in Rajasthan without his mobile phone.

Finding this explanation doubtful, a team visited his Nangloi residence. Police obtained his photograph and compared it with the suspect seen in CCTV footage.

Officers said similarities in physical build and movement patterns strengthened their suspicion.

"Further inquiry revealed that the caretaker had recently contacted his wife using a relative's mobile phone, traced to Rajasthan's Sikar. A joint team of Delhi Police officers was immediately dispatched to Tapiplya village in Sikar and arrested him," Verma said.

During sustained interrogation, Sen allegedly confessed to the crime.

"At his instance, the looted gold jewellery — including a chain, a mangalsutra, two bangles, a ring and a chain locket — was also recovered," he said.

"The accused shifted his residence a few days before the incident to avoid suspicion and carefully studied the building to identify blind spots not covered by CCTV cameras. He deliberately left his mobile phone at home to avoid leaving any technical trail," Verma said.

Police said Sen knew that the couple’s son was not always present at home. Taking advantage of his absence, he carried out the crime and later fled to the house of his wife’s relative in Rajasthan.

Further investigation is underway to reconstruct the sequence of events and to check whether the accused had any accomplices or received any assistance, police said.