Mumbai: A case of high-value theft has been reported from South Mumbai’s upscale Colaba area, where diamond earrings and a Rolex watch worth approximately ₹35 lakh were stolen from the residence of businessman Pradeep Sanat Shah.
Shah, who is engaged in the manufacturing of printing machinery, has filed a police complaint, suspecting involvement of domestic staff—particularly a housekeeper who went on leave without informing.
According to the FIR lodged with Colaba Police, the incident occurred between June 1 and June 13, while Shah and his wife were on vacation in London. On June 1, Shah’s wife placed her vintage diamond earrings (worth approx. ₹20 lakh) and a gold Rolex watch (worth approx. ₹15 lakh) in a drawer inside the bedroom wardrobe. The next day, Shah went to work and his wife was out for the day. The bedroom reportedly remained unlocked and the wardrobe key was left inside the house.
On their return on June 13, the room appeared undisturbed. However, upon checking the wardrobe later that night, they discovered the earrings missing. Further inspection the next day revealed that the Rolex watch had also been stolen.
During questioning, Shah found that Sudhir Kumar Bahadur Mahato (30), a housekeeper, had left a day earlier than scheduled, going on leave on June 8 instead of June 9, without informing anyone. In contrast, another housekeeper, Dharmendra Kumar, had properly informed about his leave on June 9.
Shah suspects the theft occurred on June 2, when someone from the staff may have located the hidden key and accessed the valuables. The Colaba Police have registered an FIR against seven domestic staff members and the house manager, and an investigation is underway to trace the stolen items and identify the culprit.
