Mumbai Shocker: Domestic Help Caught At Airport While Fleeing With ₹46.8 Lakh Gold & 120-Year-Old British-Era Family Treasures

Mumbai: The Amboli police have arrested a 26-year-old domestic help for allegedly stealing over 120-year-old British-era coins and 440 grams of gold jewellery worth ₹46.8 lakh from his employer's residence in Andheri West. The accused, identified as Rahul Kumar Shafi, a native of Madhubani in Bihar, was apprehended from the waiting area of Mumbai Airport just 45 minutes before he was scheduled to board an IndiGo flight to Patna.

Police said Shafi had been employed by the family for nearly a decade and had gained their trust, giving him unrestricted access to the house. The stolen ornaments were family heirlooms inherited by the complainant's 72-year-old mother after her marriage. According to the family, the jewellery had been passed down through generations for over a century. Four British-era coins bearing the royal cypher were also stolen.

The theft came to light on July 20 when the complainant, Aditya Nirmal Jhunjhunwala, 45, a share trader residing in Andheri West, was informed by his mother, who noticed a gold bangle fall from Shafi's pocket while he was cooking in the kitchen. When questioned, Shafi allegedly claimed that he had found the bangle on the balcony and intended to return it. Suspicious of his explanation, she checked the cupboard locker and discovered that several gold ornaments and the antique coins were missing. The family then informed the police, and an FIR was registered on July 21. After an FIR was registered against him, Shafi allegedly attempted to flee from Mumbai to his native village in Bihar by boarding a flight to Patna.

During the investigation, police tracked Shafi's movements through technical surveillance. After his mobile phone location was traced near Mumbai Airport, the police coordinated with airport authorities to obtain passenger details. They identified his flight booking and detained him in the departure waiting area before boarding.

Police recovered part of the stolen jewellery from his travel bag, while the remaining ornaments, kept at his village home in Bihar, were later handed over to the police by Shafi's father. The entire stolen property has been recovered, and further investigation is underway.

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