Jaipur: City police Thursday arrested a 23-year-old who was absconding for nearly one-and-a-half year after fleeing with a parcel containing gold worth Rs 19.48 lakh that he was assigned to deliver. The accused, who carried a reward of Rs 10,000, was traced to Haryana, where he was living under the radar since the theft.DCP (north) Karan Sharma said the accused, Devraj Saini, a resident of Khetri in Jhunjhunu, was employed as a delivery boy with Shivani Parcel Service in May 2024. He was entrusted with a parcel containing gold that was to be sent to Delhi. Instead of delivering it, he escaped with the consignment and went underground.SHO of Manak Chowk police station Rakesh Khaliya said that after the theft, police teams repeatedly conducted searches in Jhunjhunu, Delhi, and nearby districts, but Saini carefully concealed his movements. As months passed without progress, the DCP (north) declared a reward for information leading to his arrest. Despite the reward, Saini managed to evade detection by keeping his phone switched off and avoiding contact with anyone outside his immediate circle.The breakthrough came when a constable received reliable information that Saini had taken refuge in Haryana. A police team led by SHO Khaliya raided a location in Haryana late Monday night and arrested him. Saini was working at a warehouse there to sustain himself while staying hidden.During interrogation, Saini admitted that he stole the gold and absconded with the intention of settling outside Rajasthan. He told police that soon after fleeing, he destroyed his SIM card and moved to a relative’s house in Haryana to avoid electronic surveillance. Police said he frequently changed his temporary accommodation to avoid being traced.Investigators are now working to recover the stolen gold and establish whether the accused had any assistance while fleeing. Police added that further interrogation will determine if the stolen gold has been sold or hidden.
