Both Accused Held for Snatching Purse of PM Modi’s Niece in Delhi

The incident happened after Damayanti Ben Modi, daughter of PM’s brother Prahlad Modi reached Delhi from Amritsar.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s niece has become the latest victim of snatching in the national capital.

(Photo: The Quint)

A day after the purse of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s niece Damyanti Ben Modi was snatched near Civil Lines, the Delhi Police has arrested both accused in connection with the incident.

Hours after the first arrest, the second accused, identified as Badal was arrested from Delhi’s Sultanpuri. Damyanti Ben’s wrist watch, along with a few documents was also recovered from him.

According to Damyanti Ben Modi, her purse and phone were wrenched from her grasp by two persons when she was alighting from an auto-rickshaw on Saturday. A case was registered based on a complaint by Damayanti Ben Modi, daughter of the prime minister's brother Prahlad Modi.

The incident happened soon after Damayanti Ben reached Delhi from Amritsar in the morning.

Two persons on a scooter snatched her purse containing her phone, some documents and valuables around 7 am when the woman got down at the Gujrati Samaj Bhawan in North Delhi's Civil Lines area, PTI reported quoting a senior police officer said.

Damayanti Ben had a flight to Ahmedabad in the evening. She informed police and on her statement, the case under section 356 (assault or criminal force in attempt to commit theft of property carried by a person) and 379 (punishment for theft) was registered at Civil Lines police station, they said, adding some suspects have been detained.

Police also said that they are examining CCTV footage of nearby areas.

“I came to Delhi and reached Gujarati Samaj Bhavan on Saturday morning. I was scheduled to take a flight for Gujarat in the evening. I was getting off the auto-rickshaw when the snatchers targeted me,” the woman said.

Delhi Police Under Home Ministry, Law & Order Deteriorating: AAP

After the incident, the Aam Aadmi Party took potshots at the Modi government, saying this reflects the “miserable and pathetic” law and order situation in Delhi.

AAP spokesperson Raghav Chadha said the law and order in Delhi is the “sole preserve and constitutional responsibility of the Ministry of Home Affairs”.

“With each passing day, the law and order situation is going from bad to worse. The alacrity that Delhi Police shows in chasing political opponents of the BJP is completely absent when it comes to providing safety to the people of Delhi. The most recent victim of this has been the niece of our prime minister,” AAP spokesperson Raghav Chadha said.

“It is all the more shocking that such an incident took place near the residences of LG and Chief Minister,” he said.

He said the Home ministry should take immediate and strong measures to restore law and order in Delhi.

(With inputs from ANI and PTI)