Delhi Police solve blind hit-and-run case after 8 days; accused nabbed

New Delhi, Sep 24 (IANS) The Delhi Police have successfully cracked a blind hit-and-run case after eight days of intensive investigation, arresting the accused and recovering the offending vehicle.

The case, which had left the victim critically injured, was solved by the team of Police Station Vasant Vihar, South West District, through meticulous tracking of surveillance footage and technical evidence.

According to the police, the incident occurred in the early hours of September 15, when Mayank Jain, a hotel manager, was travelling in his Honda City car near the RTR Flyover in Vasant Vihar. At around 2.00-3.00 a.m., a blue Maruti Baleno car rammed into his vehicle. When Mayank Jain stepped out to confront the driver, he was deliberately run over. The driver then fled the scene.

The front windshield of the Baleno was broken during the impact. Mayank Jain was rushed to RR Hospital, Dhaula Kuan, for treatment. A case was registered under FIR No. 221/25, U/S 281/125(b) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Vasant Vihar police station, and an investigation was launched.

Describing the case as “blind”, the Delhi Police said in a statement that there were no leads on the vehicle or driver. Over 200 CCTV cameras across Delhi, from Munirka to Dwarka Mor and up to the Rajokri border, were scanned to identify the suspect vehicle. Eventually, a damaged blue Maruti Baleno with a broken front windshield was spotted. Upon inquiry, police discovered that the car's registered owner had passed away two years ago, and the vehicle was now being used by his family.

"All three sons of the deceased owner initially denied driving the car on the night of the incident," the press release stated. However, the police placed the mobile numbers of family members and domestic staff under surveillance. Call Detail Record (CDR) analysis, along with CCTV route mapping, eventually revealed that Gaurav Bhardwaj, a resident of Greater Kailash Enclave-I, had taken the car to Dwarka that night.

Further investigation uncovered that the accused had replaced the broken windshield the following day at a mechanic shop in GK-I.

“The staff of PS Vasant Vihar, South West District, has cracked a blind, hit-and-run case by apprehending accused Gaurav Bhardwaj… along with the offending vehicle Maruti Baleno Car with the damaged front glass of the car,” the official press note read.

On September 20, the police recovered the replaced broken glass from the repair shop. Gaurav Bhardwaj was apprehended on September 22 and, during interrogation, confessed to the crime. The blue Maruti Baleno used in the offence was also recovered at his instance.

--IANS

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