Major's house burgled, two women held, minor detained

PUNE: The Wanowrie police on Friday arrested a 35-year-old woman, her 55-year-old mother and detained her 14-year-old daughter for allegedly stealing gold jewellery worth Rs 1.12 lakh from an army Major's bungalow at the Officers' Enclave near New Golibar Maidan. The women worked as house helps at the Major's house and the girl used to help them out with the chores.
Major Manu Bhanudas Chopda (30) has lodged a complaint against the suspects with the Wanowrie police on Friday.Chopda is a doctor at the Armed Forces Medical College, Pune.
The police have identified the suspects as Meenakshi Swamy (35) of servants quarter near the Golibar Maidan and her mother, Pushpa Mohite (55) of Labour camp, Matunga.
Speaking to TOI, senior police inspector Shivaji Kanase of the Wanowrie police station said the incident took place sometime between February 1 and 8, when Chopda had gone with his family to Chandigarh.
Kanase said that during interrogation Swamy revealed that the trio had entered the bungalow from the back door - which they knew would open with a push, opened the cupboard - since they knew where the key was, and stole the jewellery - comprising two gold necklace, rings, gold chain, earrings and other ornaments. "Chopda returned on February 8, but the theft did not come to his notice. On February 10, his mother found a broken ornament and looked for the jewellery in the cupboard. She realised that the ornaments had been stolen and told her son. Kanase said, "Chopda had doubts about the two women who worked as house helps at his residence for the last one-and-a-half years. He took the girl into confidence and she revealed her involvement as also her mother's and grandmother's."
He said that the police searched Swamy's residence and recovered some of the gold ornaments. "She admitted that she had sold an ornament to a jeweller for Rs 5,000. During interrogation, Swamy told the police that they had committed the theft as her daughter was fond of wearing ornaments.
Meanwhile, sub inspector Pushpalata Mandale on Saturday produced Swamy and Mohite before JMFC judicial magistrate first class V N Dhavle. Pressing for seven days of police custody, assistant public prosecutor Rajendra Suryavanshi told the court that the custodial interrogation of the duo was essential since the police were yet to recover the remaining stolen ornaments. He prayed to give sufficient time to the police to probe the involvement of others involved in the crime.The magistrate upheld the prosecution's plea and sent the Swamy and Mohite to police custody till February 22. The juvenile court sent the girl to a remand home on Friday.