Varanasi | In a significant breakthrough, police in Varanasi have uncovered a major ₹2.5 crore jewellery theft case involving the in-laws’ house of a GST officer. The investigation has led to the arrest of the alleged mastermind along with several associates, while revealing a coordinated attempt to destroy the identity of stolen gold and silver by melting it into bullion bars.
According to police sources, the entire operation was planned by Yash Singh, a resident of Bhaktinagar with a known criminal background. Officials confirmed that multiple criminal cases were already registered against him. He allegedly collaborated with accomplices Vishal Kumar and Rohit Pal to execute the burglary.
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On the night of the incident, the accused reportedly reached Ganeshpur in the Tarna area using a stolen motorcycle and targeted the residence of the GST officer’s in-laws. After committing the theft, the group fled towards Mirzapur and later abandoned the motorcycle in the Aurai area in an attempt to mislead investigators.
Investigators revealed that after the theft, the accused contacted a jeweller, Aman Seth, to dispose of the stolen ornaments. The jewellery was allegedly melted down to remove its original design and converted into bullion bars weighing around 600–700 grams, making identification extremely difficult in the market.
Police said that CCTV footage analysis and technical surveillance played a crucial role in tracking the suspects. Clues collected from multiple locations, combined with local intelligence inputs from the Lalpur-Pandeypur region, helped investigators identify Yash Singh as the key accused. His arrest subsequently led to the unravelling of the entire network involved in the crime.
During interrogation, it emerged that all accused were staying together in a rented accommodation and had pre-planned the robbery in detail. Officials suspect that the group may have had links with a broader organised network responsible for disposing of stolen property and converting it into cash through illegal channels.
The role of jeweller Aman Seth is also under scrutiny. Police suspect that he may have knowingly assisted in melting and purchasing stolen gold. However, investigators are still examining whether he was fully aware of the criminal origin of the material or acted under false pretences.
Authorities stated that the accused attempted to evade detection by avoiding CCTV cameras after the incident. However, technical surveillance, mobile tracking data, and digital footprint analysis helped police reconstruct their movements and establish links between the suspects.
A portion of the recovered gold bullion, approximately 700 grams, has been sent for forensic examination along with other recovered material. Officials said the analysis will help determine the exact quantity of stolen valuables and assess the total financial loss caused by the theft.
Police teams are continuing interrogation of the arrested suspects while also searching for other possible members of the gang. Investigators believe more individuals may be involved in the wider network responsible for facilitating theft-to-cash conversion operations.
Officials added that the case highlights the growing sophistication of organised theft networks that attempt to erase evidence by altering stolen goods into untraceable forms such as melted bullion. Further developments are expected as the investigation progresses.
