On The Run Since 2008, Delhi Daylight Robbery 'Mastermind' Arrested

New Delhi: The alleged mastermind of a daylight robbery on a moving bus in New Delhi has been arrested in Kanpur after being on the run for nearly a decade, police said today.

In May 2008, the accused Gaurav Sonkar and some men of his gang robbed over 20 people on a bus in west Delhi's Mayapuri and had also stabbed some of the passengers, police said.

Police said they arrested Mr Sonkar at his hideout in Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh, acting on intelligence given by police informers. "He was arrested on Monday from his hideout in Kanpur following a tip-off," Deputy Commissioner of Police Bhisham Singh said.

He had been evading arrest since the robbery. A reward of Rs 25,000 was announced for his arrest by then Delhi Police Commissioner YS Dadwal, Mr Singh said.

"During interrogation, Sonkar revealed that some 10 years ago he joined local criminals after his family shifted from Kanpur to Subzi Mandi in Delhi," the police officer said.

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"He initially started petty crimes and joined Raju Hakla gang of pickpockets. The gang leader Raju Hakla is involved in more than 70 criminal cases filed with police stations in Nangloi, Sultanpuri and Mangolpuri," the officer said.