The Charkop police arrested two security guards from Jammu and Kashmir for allegedly stealing gold jewellery worth over Rs 1.25 crore from a jewellery manufacturing unit at the government industrial estate in Charkop, Kandivli West. A third accused is absconding.
The arrested accused, Safir Chaudhary and Bittu alias Waqar Ahmad Nazir Hussain, had been working at the workshop for the past six months. Officers told mid-day that Chaudhary was the alleged mastermind behind the theft. They were arrested on May 23 with help from the Poonch police and brought to Mumbai on transit remand on Tuesday night. The duo was produced before the Borivli Metropolitan Magistrate court on Wednesday.
Buried gold in forest
The 49 gold bangles retrieved by the police
Investigators said the accused did not return to their native village in Mandi district after the theft, but rented a house in the Poonch area to avoid suspicion. The accused allegedly buried the stolen jewellery in a forest area to hide evidence.
Workshop theft
Complainant Ashok Amritlal Via, owner of Shreeji Manufactures, had stored 22-carat gold bangles weighing 864.28 grams in a logistics box at his workshop on May 14. The jewellery, valued at R1.25cr, allegedly went missing between 8.10 pm and 9.30 pm that day. One of the guards, Safir, later sent a voice message to the complainant claiming he had quit because he was not being paid. Suspicion grew after manager found all three watchmen posted on different floors were missing and the logistics box gone.
Probe trail
Using call detail records and technical analysis, police tracked the accused to the Poonch area, where house-to-house searches were conducted with help from local police. Both suspects were eventually detained. The jewellery was allegedly buried near a large stone in a forest. In the presence of local police and residents, the pit was excavated, and 49 gold bangles weighing 433 grams were recovered. Further investigation is underway to trace third accused and recover the remaining jewellery.
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