Mumbai: The metropolitan magistrate court has sentenced a house help to one year imprisonment with fine of Rs 20,000 for stealing ornaments from the house of her employer in April 2017.
The metropolitan magistrate, Kranti Pingale, refused to show leniency to the maid, observed that, "In today's time, if both husband and wife are working, they need someone's help for household work. Accordingly, the complainant trusted this accused and gave her entry into the house. However, this accused has betrayed their trust. Therefore, to curb such tendencies and because the accused has broken trust, it is necessary to punish her."
As per the prosecution case, on August 5, 2017, the complainant and his wife, residing in Sun tower at Parel, had to go for an engagement ceremony. When his wife looked in the cupboard for earrings, she could not find them. They searched the entire house. Later she inquired with her mother in law and realised that all the jewelry including 171 grams of gold and 2.2 carats of diamond jewelry, apart from a pearl necklace was stolen.
Later, the family confronted the house help who denied having any knowledge. Hence, they lodge complaint with RAK Marg police station.
When police began investigation and started confronting all their house helps, the accused Sakshi Chaukekar, 33, confessed to the crime, The police had arrested her and allegedly recovered jewellery from two jewellers and her daughter's tuition teacher.
The house help however, in her defence claimed that, the complainant did not pay her salary for two to three months, and when she demanded it, the complainant, holding a grudge, filed a false case against her.
The prosecution had examined the complainant and his wife along with two jeweler, where the accused sold some of the jewelry and kept rest of it with the tuition teacher of her daughter. All the witnesses testified against the accused supporting the prosecution case.
The court after hearing both the sides observed that, "the accused has nowhere denied that she was working for the complainant. On the contrary, she has taken the defense that the complainant did not pay her salary for two months, and when she demanded the salary, the complainant filed a false case."
"In reality, if the accused was working for the complainant, demanding salary is her right, but a false case would not be filed because it was not paid. However, the possibility that she stole his items because he did not pay her cannot be ruled out," the court said while convicting the maid.
