Sambhal Woman Arrested for Allegedly Staging Rs 20 Lakh Jewellery Theft

Police in Sambhal’s Bahjoi area have arrested Mahak, the wife of Irshad Ali, alleging that she staged a false theft at her own home after becoming dissatisfied over jewellery gifts given to the bride of a younger brother in the family. Police said jewellery worth around Rs 20 lakh, reported stolen from the house, was recovered completely.

The case came to light after police received information that a theft had taken place at Irshad Ali’s house in Bahjoi. The value of the alleged stolen property was put at approximately Rs 20 lakh. The family also publicised the theft at different places, according to the police account.

Taking immediate cognisance of the information, a police team reached the spot and began an investigation. The team included ASP Manoj Rawat, CO Bahjoi Stuti Singh and Bahjoi Inspector Rajiv. A field unit was also called to the house without delay. The unit carried out a detailed examination of the spot and started checking the circumstances surrounding the reported incident.

Police said a written complaint was obtained immediately and an FIR was registered at the police station under the appropriate sections. CO Bahjoi Stuti Singh spoke to the members of the household as part of the initial inquiry. The ASP and the field unit also examined the area around the house, as well as the inside and outside portions of the property.

During the investigation, police found that there had been no entry by any outsider into the house. Police said this finding was supported by witnesses. The lack of any outside entry during the time at which the theft was reported became an important part of the inquiry.

As the investigation progressed, police said it was established that a member of the household had carried out the act and that someone from the family had a role in the incident. Following this development, the police team questioned all the members of the house in detail.

The investigators also obtained details of their mobile numbers and analysed them. Information was further collected through confidential sources in the surrounding area. Based on this inquiry, police alleged that Mahak, the wife of Irshad Ali and a resident of Tanki Mohalla in Bahjoi, had carried out the theft.

Police said the alleged reason was linked to an internal family matter. A younger brother in the family had got married and his bride had been given more jewellery items as gifts from the house. According to the police, this had led to dissatisfaction in the mind of the family’s elder daughter-in-law.

Police alleged that, as a result of this dissatisfaction, the jewellery was hidden during the night referred to in the police account as “yesterday and the day before”. After hiding the jewellery, the incident was widely publicised through the police and other people as a theft of Rs 20 lakh from the house.

The police team said it analysed all the facts of the incident and successfully solved the case within three to four hours. The entire quantity of property reported stolen was recovered, police said. Mahak was then arrested in connection with the case.

Police are questioning her further. Investigators are also conducting a detailed inquiry into whether any other family members had a role in the incident. Police said further action would be taken on the basis of the facts that emerge from the continuing investigation.

The report was filed by Rajat Malhotra.