Missing Jewellery Mystery Deepens As Former RERA Chief's Ornaments Traced To Another Bank Locker In Bhopal

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The case of gold jewellery reported missing from a State Bank of India (SBI) locker belonging to former Madhya Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) chairman AP Srivastava has taken a new turn, with his family informing police that some of the ornaments have been found in another locker at Punjab National Bank (PNB).

The development has raised questions about the actual quantity of jewellery missing from the SBI locker and how the ornaments came to be found in a separate bank locker.

Kamla Nagar police station in-charge Nirupma Pandey told IANS that police had received a written complaint and were investigating the matter.

"Some of the jewellery that was not found in the SBI locker has reportedly been traced to another locker in Punjab National Bank. The family has informed us about this," Pandey said.

The matter came to light on Thursday when Srivastava visited the SBI branch on the campus of the Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM) in Bhopal with his daughter Surabhi, who had arrived from Dubai.

They had gone to inspect the gold ornaments kept in their joint locker. However, they faced difficulty opening it as the key was getting stuck. After seeking assistance from bank officials, they managed to open it but found that the jewellery was missing.

The locker, numbered 502, was jointly held by Srivastava and his two daughters, Surabhi and Shruti. It was taken on Dec 13, 2024, with an annual rent of Rs2,380.

Police are examining the family's complaint and the information about the ornaments reportedly found in the PNB locker.

Investigators will also have to establish how much jewellery was originally kept in the SBI locker and how much remains unaccounted for.

The circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the ornaments have not yet been established.

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