8 Mobiles, 20 SIMs, 6 Fake Names: Delhi Doctor Murder Accused’s Exit Plan

The mastermind in the murder case of a prominent doctor in south Delhi’s Jangpura in May this year changed at least eight mobile phones and 20 SIM cards while on the run, the police said today after arresting him. The police said they chased him for 1,600 km all the way to the India-Nepal border, where they finally caught the accused, Vishnuswaroop Shahi.

Vishnuswaroop Shahi also changed his name six times and used fake identity papers wherever he went, the police said, adding they found papers with the names Vishnu Swaroop Shahi, Shakti Sai, Satya Sai, Surya Prakash Shahi, Gagan Oli, and Krishna Shahi.

He was carrying the fictional identity ‘Gagan Oli’ when he was arrested, the police said.

The doctor, Yogesh Chandra Paul, 63, was found murdered in his Jangpura house where he lived with his wife. While his body was found in the kitchen, the rooms bore signs of vandalism suggesting robbery. The police 

Crime Branch Deputy Commissioner of Police Sanjay Sen said the accused looted the house before killing the doctor. He said the police saw many other accused on CCTV cameras installed around the house, which proved the involvement of more than one accused.

READ | Doctor, 63, Murdered By Robbers At His Home In Delhi: Police

The house help, Basanti, and two others Akash and Himanshu Joshi were arrested during investigation, while the mastermind Vishnuswaroop Shahi and four of his aides were on the run.

The Crime Branch after taking over the case began a wide search for the mastermind, during which some old mobile numbers of Vishnuswaroop Shahi were found, DCP said. The Crime Branch analysed the call detail records (CDR) for half a month during which they found new active numbers being used by the accused, Mr Sen said, adding Vishnuswaroop Shahi had changed eight mobile phones and 20 SIM cards.

The police received intelligence that Vishnuswaroop Shahi was hiding in Himachal Pradesh’s Suket valley, from where he planned to escape to Nepal. The accused fled to Dehradun before a police team reached his Himachal hideout, the police said.

From there,  Vishnuswaroop Shahi took a bus as he made his dash towards the India-Nepal border, the police said, adding the team also drove 1,600 km for 24 hours as they chased him all the way to the border.  They managed to arrest him this morning near the border.

The police said the house help of the murdered doctor told Vishnuswaroop Shahi about a huge pile of cash and jewellery kept in the doctor’s house, after which the mastermind made a plan to kill the doctor. His aides Bhim Jora and others were involved in planning the robbery and murder. Bhim Jora’s wife was also taken in by Vishnuswaroop Shahi in planning the murder.

From the loot pile, Vishnuswaroop Shahi for Rs 40,000 and 13 grams of gold. His wife and daughter live in Himachal Pradesh’s Solan. The police said he had a criminal history, with arrests in 2018 and 2020.