2 Nepalese helps found guilty of drugging, robbing employers in Chandigarh
Duo had laced the food of their NRI employer and 85-year-old mother at their Sector-36 house, before making off with cash and jewellery in October 2021
Over two years after two Nepalese domestic helps stole cash and jewellery from a Sector-36 house after sedating their NRI employer and his 85-year-old mother in October 2021, a local court held them guilty of the crime on Friday.
The duo, Milan Soni, then 19 years old, and his friend Deepinder Bahadur, then 22 years old, were convicted under Sections 328 (causing hurt by means of poison, etc., with intent to commit an offence), 394 (causing hurt in committing robbery) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.
The court, however, acquitted Dileep Upadhyay, 26, and Vishnu Bhagat, 28, both from Maharashtra. The fifth accused, Lokendra from Karnataka, remains on the run and was declared a proclaimed offender.
The quantum of sentence will be pronounced on March 27.
As per prosecution, the case was registered on the complaint of Surender Pal Singh, 57, an NRI, then residing in Sector 36, Chandigarh.
Singh, who lived in the house with his 85-year-old mother, said on October 23, 2021, one of their domestic helps served them food, following which they fell both unconscious.
On waking up, he was shocked to find his house ransacked and the almirahs open, with around ₹20,000 in cash and some jewellery articles missing.
An agriculturist, Surinder, said he owned a business in the US, where his children also lived. But currently he was living in Chandigarh with his elderly mother.
He had hired Milan two months before the crime took place, as their regular domestic help had gone on leave.
Before the crime, Milan’s friend Deepinder had come to live with him for a few days, and the duo conspired to drug and rob them, before fleeing.
On his complaint, police had registered a case under Sections 328 (causing hurt by means of poison, etc., with intent to commit an offence) and 381 (theft by clerk or servant of property in possession of master) of the Indian Penal Code at the Sector 36 police station.
A month later, Milan and Deepinder were nabbed from Pune, Maharashtra. Later, two more accused, Dileep Upadhayay and Vishnu were also arrested. Following trial, police held Milan and Deepinder guilty of robbing their employers. The detailed order is awaited.