Delhi Worker Robs Rs 4.5 Lakh After Salary Advance Denial
Frustrated Employee Pulls Off Daring Heist
A 22-year-old godown worker, Mumtaz Jahangir, was arrested in Delhi’s Najafgarh for allegedly stealing Rs 4.5 lakh from his employer’s office after being refused a salary advance. The audacious burglary took place on the night of August 19-20 in Dwarka, with the suspect apprehended within eight hours by the Dwarka Police’s Anti-Burglary Cell. Authorities recovered Rs 3.14 lakh from his possession, but his accomplice, Vikas, remains at large.
Mukul Jain, the godown owner, reported the theft to the Najafgarh police on August 20 after discovering the missing cash. CCTV footage revealed a figure, face concealed by a plastic sack, disabling security cameras and entering through the false ceiling. The godown’s guard dogs, familiar with Mumtaz, did not bark, raising suspicions of an inside job. Police traced Mumtaz’s phone to the crime scene, leading to his swift arrest.
Mumtaz, a loader earning Rs 15,000 monthly, confessed during interrogation that frustration over repeated denials of a salary advance drove him to plan the heist. Hailing from Supaul, Bihar, he moved to Delhi in June and lived with his wife and three children in Dharampura, Najafgarh. He admitted to orchestrating the theft not only for “easy money” but also to “teach his employer a lesson.”
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The investigation revealed Mumtaz’s familiarity with the godown’s layout and security, which he exploited to execute the crime. He allegedly collaborated with Vikas, who assisted in the burglary but has evaded capture. Police are intensifying efforts to locate the accomplice and recover the remaining Rs 1.36 lakh.
This incident follows a pattern of workplace-related thefts in Delhi. In January 2025, a Ludhiana man stole Rs 6 lakh from a bike showroom after a denied salary hike, and in 2024, a 20-year-old robbed Rs 14.5 lakh to fund his sister’s wedding. Legal experts note that employees facing salary disputes can seek remedies under the Payment of Wages Act, 1936, or approach labor courts, highlighting alternatives to such drastic actions.
The Delhi Police continue to investigate, urging employers to enhance security measures and address employee grievances to prevent similar incidents.
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