Grandson in ‘plan to rob’

Oct 30 2008 By Ross McCarthy

THE grandson of a Birmingham pensioner who died when she was gagged by two men who forced their way into their home had planned to rob her for several months, a court heard.

It is alleged Nehal Digpal encouraged Mohammed Iftab and Waseem Shabbir to raid the woman’s home in August last year.

The robbers overpowered 81-year-old Mohinder Kaur, of Nutgrove Close, Kings Heath, and gagged her with adhesive duct tape before fleeing with some of her gold jewellery, Birmingham Crown Court was told. Iftab and Shabbir have both admitted causing the death of Mrs Kaur who suffocated.

Digpal, 23, of Taylor Road, Kings Heath, denies the manslaughter of Mrs Kaur and conspiring to rob her.

Iftab said he had known Digpal for a number of years and that for a couple of months before the incident he had spoken about having his grandmother robbed.

He said Digpal would talk about it nearly every day saying that Mrs Kaur had stolen gold from either his mother or father. He was angry and did not like her for what she had done,” he said.

Iftab said according to Digpal his grandmother kept a couple of thousands at her home as well as “quite a bit” of jewellery.

He said they had talked about the robbery and he had planned to split the proceeds with Shabbir. Iftab said they had discussed needing someone to hold Mrs Kaur while someone else searched her home.

He said Digpal had told him that his grandmother kept money wrapped up in a cupboard in the kitchen and that there was a key to the cupboard in the house.

Iftab also said Digpal had showed him where Mrs Kaur lived.

It was Digpal he claimed, who suggested they should use the name of another grandson in order to trick her into opening her door.

He said on the day they had bought some tape from a DIY store in case Mrs Kaur had to be “kept quiet.”

He said: “Beforehand I was having second thoughts because I had never done anything like this before but on the day I was just drinking and did not really think.”

(Proceeding)