MUMBAI: A 44-year-old house help has been arrested for stealing jewellery worth ₹1.11 crore from his employer’s house and swapping it with imitation pieces. The accused, identified as Keshava Jena, had worked for the family for eight years, gaining their trust over time. The theft came to light when the family, residing on Peddar Road, noticed discrepancies in their jewellery during a recent inspection. Suspecting foul play, they consulted a jeweller who confirmed the items were counterfeit.
According to the Gamdevi police, Jena, a resident of Odisha, was apprehended following a complaint by his employer, 44-year-old Nandish Vasa of Peddar Road.
“The accused had built a relationship of trust with the family over his tenure. Starting last November, he began pilfering jewellery from their cupboards, replacing it with fake replicas,” stated a police official. “In February, he abruptly left his job, claiming personal reasons and a desire to settle in his hometown.”
The family’s routine check of their jewellery raised doubts about its authenticity recently. They promptly notified the authorities, leading to a case initially filed under section 381 (theft by a servant of property in possession of the master) of the Indian Penal Code. Subsequently, section 420 was added upon discovering the substitution of stolen goods with counterfeit ones.
Police efforts to locate Jena included tracking his movements to Mumbai with a friend, ultimately apprehending him at a lodge in Dadar. The investigation continues with efforts to recover the stolen jewellery, and Jena is currently in police custody.