A 21-year-old housekeeping staffer working with a Covid-19 centre in Thane was arrested by the Kapurbawadi police for mobile theft. The accused robbed the mobile phone of a dead covid patient after he was asked to pack the dead body before handing it over to the family.
The police said the arrested accused is identified as Ganesh Mukesh Makhwana, a resident of Kalwa. Makwana has been working as a housekeeping staff with Global hospital and dedicated covid-centre in Balkum, Thane. The complainant a 30-year-old man had filed a complaint at Kapurbawadi police station on May 15 under section 379 (punishment for theft) of the Indian penal code. "The complainant's father was admitted at the hospital for treatment of Covid-19. After his father was declared dead by the doctors he received the dead body and found that his mobile phone is missing. When he questioned the hospital staff and authorities they denied about it. He got suspicious as till last breathe the mobile phone was with his father. So he approached the police and filed a complaint," said a police officer.
The police started the investigation and kept the mobile phone for tracking. "Almost after a week the mobile was found in working mode but with a different sim card. With the help of technical details we reached the address of the accused and detained him, as he was found using the phone. Makhwana first denied saying he got it from his friend. But later confessed that he got it in the patient pocket, while packing the dead body. Also, as it was a covid positive patient hardly the packed body was open or touched," said the police officer.
Anil Deshmukh, senior police inspector, Kapurbawadi police station confirmed the arrest of Makhwana and said, "He was working as a housekeeping staff at the hospital. We have recovered the phone from him. He was arrested on Sunday and was sent to jail custody. We are checking if he has any past record."
