Daijiworld Media Network - Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad, May 20: What began as a meticulously planned jewellery heist worth over Rs 1.66 crore ended in betrayal and arrest after a woman employee was allegedly abandoned by her accomplice at a Delhi hotel while he escaped with the bulk of the stolen ornaments.
The Ahmedabad City Crime Branch on Tuesday arrested a 38-year-old employee of Abhushan Jewellers in connection with the sensational theft that took place earlier this month in Ahmedabad’s Nikol area.
According to police officials, the accused, Harshida Rajendrakumar Shetty, allegedly stole gold ornaments from the jewellery showroom on May 11 during her work shift before fleeing from the city. She is a resident of New Naroda.
Following the theft, a formal complaint was lodged at the Nikol police station, prompting the crime branch to launch an extensive investigation. Multiple teams were formed to trace the accused woman employee, officials said.
As part of the probe, investigators reportedly scanned nearly 300 CCTV camera footages from various locations before successfully tracking down and arresting Shetty. However, police managed to recover only a portion of the stolen jewellery, valued at around Rs 22.54 lac.
Further investigation revealed that the theft had allegedly been carefully orchestrated with the help of her associate, Mayur Ashokbhai Mali, a resident of Vastral.
Police said the duo escaped on a motorcycle soon after the theft and travelled across multiple cities, including Udaipur and Jaipur, before reaching Delhi in an attempt to evade arrest.
However, the dramatic escape plan reportedly collapsed in Delhi after Mali allegedly abandoned Shetty at a hotel and absconded with the lion’s share of the stolen jewellery, leaving his accomplice stranded and vulnerable to arrest.
Among the ornaments recovered from the accused are a gold bracelet worth Rs 9.98 lac, an eagle-embossed gold ring studded with white stones valued at Rs 1.34 lac, a gold mangalsutra worth Rs 7.43 lac, and a gold chain priced at Rs 3.62 lac. Police also recovered a mobile phone from her possession.
“Shetty has been handed over to the Nikol police station for further interrogation,” officials said, adding that a search operation was under way to trace the absconding accomplice.
Police said the accused has been booked under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and further investigation into the case is continuing.