The Delhi Police North District team has successfully solved a blind murder case involving a 39-year-old railway technician. The victim, Sandeep Kumar Malviya, was found dead in a locked room earlier this month. Police managed to catch the suspect, who turned out to be a 17-year-old minor, by tracking a digital trail that started with a small test transaction of just one rupee.
How did the 1 Rupee transaction help the police?
Sandeep went missing on January 25 after leaving his home. His family filed a report at the Paharganj police station when he did not return. His motorcycle was found abandoned near a metro station, and days later, his body was discovered in a decomposed state in Gulabi Bagh. There were no immediate eyewitnesses to the crime.
During the technical investigation, the police team noticed a UPI transaction of ₹1 made from the victim’s mobile phone after he went missing. The suspect performed this test transaction to check if the UPI pin and account were working before transferring more money. This single transaction linked to a bank account in Ghaziabad, which helped the police identify and catch the juvenile suspect from Mandir Marg.
What was the motive behind the crime?
Police officials stated that the minor met the victim near a bar in Paharganj, and they traveled together to a rented room in the Railway Colony. According to the minor’s confession, the victim demanded unnatural sexual favors, which led to a heated argument between them in the room.
The situation turned violent, and the minor attacked Sandeep with a gas cylinder. He then used a piece of broken glass to slit the victim’s throat. After the murder, the accused changed his blood-stained clothes, wore the victim’s clothes, and fled the spot with ₹2,000 cash and the mobile phone. He locked the room from the outside to delay the discovery of the body.
