What began as a routine housebreaking and theft case has taken an unexpected turn, leaving the Antop Hill Police — and even anti-corruption officials — scrambling.
Umesh Narayan (32), a superintendent with the GST Department, filed a complaint on June 9 claiming that thieves broke into his residence on Antop Hill while he was at work. According to his report, valuables worth Rs 6.95 lakh, including a silver-coloured HP laptop, gold ornaments gifted on his wedding, and cash, were stolen.
The police registered an FIR under sections 331(3) and 305(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and began investigations. They soon identified the alleged culprit: Narayan’s own neighbour and colleague, Deepak Dahiya.
However, it wasn’t the identity of the thief that shocked investigators the most. During his arrest and subsequent search, the police recovered Rs 34 lakh in stolen items, far more than the Rs 6.95 lakh initially reported.
A police official, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed: “When we confronted the complainant [Narayan], he revealed that the remaining amount also belonged to him. But he deliberately concealed the actual value of the stolen items in the FIR.”
That undeclared cash may not be just a case of underreporting; it could be black money.
Now the Anti-Corruption Bureau has stepped in, and officials are considering registering a separate FIR against Narayan under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
“Instead of just a theft victim, he may also end up being investigated for corruption,” the officer added.
As for the original theft, Narayan stated that he left for work at 10am on June 9 and returned around 6:15pm to find his main door unlocked. His laptop and mobile were missing from the living room, and upon entering the bedroom, he discovered his cupboard broken into and gold jewellery gone. He immediately called the police control room at 100.
Here’s what Narayan originally claimed was stolen:
– A silver HP laptop worth Rs 50,000
– A 20g gold chain (a wedding gift from in-laws) worth Rs 1.6 lakh
– Seven gold rings weighing 50g, worth Rs 4 lakh
– Rs 80,000 cash
What looked like a straightforward burglary may now uncover a bigger story, one involving internal betrayal, hidden money, and potential corruption within the very office meant to enforce tax laws.
