Delhi doctor's killer used 8 mobiles, 20 SIMs to evade cops, caught near Nepal

The Delhi Police Crime Branch has apprehended a key suspect in the murder and robbery case of Dr Yogesh Chander Paul, a 63-year-old physician who was found dead in his Jangpura Extension home in May. The accused used eight mobile phones and 20 SIM cards to dodge the police.

The accused, identified as Vishnuswaroop Shahi, was taken into custody on November 2 at the Indo-Nepal border following a 1,600-kilometer pursuit by a police team.

On the evening of May 10, police responded to a call regarding a possible murder at Dr Paul’s residence. Upon arrival, they found Dr Paul’s body in the kitchen. The home had been ransacked, indicating a robbery.

Police investigations soon revealed that a group, allegedly led by Shahi, was responsible for the crime. Three suspects, including the family’s domestic helper, Basanti, and two associates, Akash Kumar and Himanshu Joshi, were arrested shortly afterward.

However, Shahi, who was also known by several aliases, including Shakti Sai and Krishna Shahi, and was believed to be the mastermind, managed to evade capture for several months, along with four other accomplices.

In their efforts to track down Shahi, investigators analysed phone records and discovered that he had changed around eight phones and over 20 SIM cards to avoid detection. Surveillance led police to Suket Valley in Himachal Pradesh, but Shahi had fled the area by the time the team arrived.

The chase continued through Dehradun, where Shahi was last seen boarding a bus toward the Nepal border. After a relentless pursuit, the Crime Branch team apprehended him in Banbasa, Nepal border, in the early hours of November 2.

During questioning, Shahi disclosed that Basanti had tipped him off about valuable cash and jewelry at Dr Paul’s home. Shahi and his accomplice Bhim Jora, along with Jora’s wife, reportedly planned and executed the robbery after conducting a reconnaissance of the property.

The break-in turned violent, and Dr Paul was killed during the crime. Shahi and his gang then fled to Nepal, dividing the stolen cash and jewelry. Shahi reportedly received Rs 40,000 and 13 grams of gold from the loot.

Shahi, a native of Kalikot, Nepal, has a history of criminal activity in India. He was previously arrested in 2018 and 2020 for drug trafficking under the NDPS Act in Solan, Himachal Pradesh. After securing bail, he failed to appear in court and was subsequently declared a proclaimed offender.

He has reportedly used multiple identities and fake IDs to evade law enforcement.

Police recovered four mobile phones and various fake identification documents bearing different names from Shahi at the time of his arrest.

Shahi, who had only studied up to the fifth grade, is suspected of using domestic helpers as informants to identify targets with valuable assets. The investigation is ongoing, with police exploring potential links to other crimes across the region.