Gold workshop owner, 2 staffers held over cross-complaints

The alleged crimes were committed at the workshop on Subhash Lane in Malad East. Representation pic

The owner and two employees of a Malad gold workshop were arrested following cross complaints of robbery and confinement. While the owner alleged that the staffers had stolen gold dust worth lakhs, the duo said they were held captive by their employer for six days.

Dindoshi police said Jayanto Das, 33, runs a gold workshop on Subhash Lane in Malad East. He recently found 200 grams of gold dust worth R12.5 lakh missing from the unit. Gold dust is collected while polishing jewellery. Das suspected his employees Sanjay Dulai, 28, and Anil Mukherji, 49, were behind the theft. His suspicion was allegedly confirmed after he went through the CCTV footage of the workshop.

The police said instead of filing a complaint, Das confined the two in his workshop. He allegedly didn't allow them to go home for six days. During this time, Das also allegedly made Mukherjee sign a cheque and withdrew Rs 7.5 lakh from his account, while he forced Dulai to get some jewellery from his Khar home.

After being alerted by Dulai, his relatives in Kolkata complained to the Dindoshi police on February 27. The cops then raided the workshop and rescued Dulai and Mukerji. "We detained owner Das and his accomplice Pankaj Haldar for confining the two men," said an officer from Dindoshi police station.

Once in police custody, Das told the police that the two had stolen 200 grams of gold dust from his workshop. Based on his complaint, Dulai and Mukherjee were arrested for robbery. Das has been booked for robbery and wrongful confinement.

"All the four men have been arrested and cross-complaints have been filed. They were presented before the court on February 28 and were remanded in judicial custody," said another police officer from Dindoshi police station.

Rs 7.5 lakh
Amount Das allegedly withdrew from Mukherjee's account