'Wanted luxurious lifestyle': Nepalese domestic help couple steal Rs 25L cash from Bengaluru contractor; held

BENGALURU: A Nepalese couple employed as domestic help and security personnel at a contractor's residence, who had stolen Rs 25 lakh in cash and fled, were tracked down by police within a day and arrested with the entire amount intact. The arrested are identified as Bhuvan Bista alias Pavan Bista, 35, and his wife Seetha Bista, 33. The contractor, CH Subbareddy, residing in Arkavathi Layout, lodged a complaint on May 28. He had recently withdrawn Rs 25 lakh from a bank to pay wages to his workers and stored the cash in a locked cupboard inside his house. The key to the cupboard had been concealed beneath clothes in another cupboard. He stated that a Nepalese couple had been working at his residence as security personnel and domestic help for the past month. On May 27, he had stepped out for personal work, while his wife remained at home. When he returned in the evening, he noticed that the couple was missing and the room allotted to them was empty and had been left open. Repeated attempts to contact them failed as their mobile phones were switched off. Suspecting foul play, he checked the cupboard and found that Rs 25 lakh in cash had been stolen. Amruthahalli police registered a theft case and launched an investigation. Acting on credible leads, the team headed by police inspector Balaji V traced the accused couple to their relative's house in Shirke Layout in Kengeri Satellite Town on May 28. The stolen amount was recovered intact. The couple were planning to leave the city the next day. They confessed to committing the theft to fund a luxurious lifestyle. The couple have been remanded in judicial custody.