In a dramatic twist straight out of a movie, Mumbai’s Powai police cracked a major theft case in a matter of hours, arresting a businessman’s driver who allegedly stole a hefty ₹20 lakh and fled over 800 kilometers to Nagpur. Not only did they make the arrest, but they also recovered the stolen amount.
The Complainant, Vijay Kumar Singh, is a respected tax and finance consultant who’s been running his business for three decades. His job often requires travel across Maharashtra, including Nashik and Mumbai. To navigate these journeys in his BMW, he hired Shubham Ghate (29), a native of Wardha, as his personal driver on September 15th. As a sign of trust, Shubham was also allowed to live in Mr. Singh’s Lake Home residence in Powai.
The stage was set for the crime when Mr. Singh left for an overseas trip leaving Shubham alone in the Powai house.
“On November 6, when the complainant went abroad for a trip, Shubham was staying at his house in Powai. On November 10, when the complainant landed at the Mumbai airport, he called Shubham, but there was no response from him. A short while later, a person called from his number and told complainant that he is Shubham’s friend talking and Shubham had met with an accident and had been admitted to Siddhivinayak Hospital in Thane,” said an officer of Powai police station.
Singh quickly contacted an employee in his office, asking him to collect the house keys kept in the office and rush to the Thane hospital to check on Shubham’s health.
The Lie Unravels
At 1:04 AM, the employee called Singh back with a chilling update: there was no patient named Shubham Ghate admitted to Siddhivinayak Hospital. Furthermore, a quick check with the local police confirmed that no such accident had been reported in the area. The “friend’s” story was a complete fabrication.
The following morning, the anxious businessman checked his cupboard. The truth hit him instantly: out of ₹30 lakh in cash he had stored, a huge chunk – ₹20 lakh (40 bundles of ₹500 notes) – was missing.
CCTV Footage and the Race to Nagpur
“The case quickly escalated as complainant checked his society’s CCTV footage. The footage showed Shubham entering the society at 9:30 AM on November 10th and then leaving just half an hour later, at 10:00 AM, conspicuously carrying two large bags,” said police.
The Powai police swiftly launched a full-scale investigation. Utilizing “technical information and reliable sources,” they managed to track the accused driver all the way to Nagpur.
“We have traced and arrested the accused from Nagpur. We have also recovered the stolen money from him,” confirmed Jitendra Sonawane, the senior police inspector of Powai police station.
The police have registered a case under Section 306 of Bhartiy Nyay Sanhita (BNS) and are continuing their investigation. Their next step is to determine if Shubham acted alone or if he had any accomplices in this audacious theft.
No comments yet.