JOIN USA robber was arrested in Pragati Maidan where he came to meet his accomplices on Tuesday, police said. He was involved in over 20 robberies, including the sensational Rs 1.15 crore heist on Noida Expressway.
On March 12, he and his gang looted cash and jewellery worth Rs 1.15 crore from a jeweller on Noida Expressway posing as policemen. Iqbal confessed to have robbed Rs 70 lakh from the jeweller, however, the FIR indicates the amount to be Rs 1.15 crore.
Police said they got a tip-off that 42-year-old Iqbal — a member of Mehboob Pandey gang — who hails from Bulandshahar in UP, would come near Bhairon temple opposite Pragati Maidan on Tuesday around 1.30 pm to meet his aides.
“We laid a trap and arrested him. A pistol and two cartridges were recovered from him,” said Ravindra Yadav, additional commissioner of police (crime). Police said efforts are on to nab his other accomplices. Iqbal told police that he came to Delhi in 1998 and started working as a taxi driver. He came in touch with many criminals and started committing robberies in UP and Delhi in 2001. He was caught and sent to jail. But after coming out of jail in 2003, he started stealing vehicles with Ajay, a resident of Deoria in UP.
He was again arrested in 2004 and after coming out of jail, he came in contact with Mehboob Pandey. He then started committing dacoities with Pandey’s gang in Anoop Shahar, Bulandshahar and Vijay Nagar in Ghaziabad.
In 2006, Iqbal and Pandey were arrested after a brief encounter with Delhi Police crime branch.
He was also involved in other crimes including carjacking, firing at UP Police, robbing jewellers travelling with huge cash and jewellery and snatching bags.