Mumbai: Girl robs own home for minor lover

Sugra’s parents had got jewellery made for her marriage, which was worth about Rs 3 lakh. Representation Pic

A 19-year-old, Sugra Shaikh (name changed), stole jewellery from her own house to finance her relationship with a minor lover. Subsequently, after selling the stolen jewellery, the minor lover fled with his mother, Fulbanu Azad Warsi, 45. Following the girl's parents filing a theft complaint with the police, the girl, fearing apprehension, fled Mumbai and sought refuge in her lover's village.

The police initiated a search for the girl and her boyfriend, spanning about one and a half months, and traced them in West Bengal. Due to the boy's minor status, he was released after a formal notice. However, the boy's mother and the girlfriend were apprehended and arrested by the Malvani police last week.

According to police sources, Sugra was residing in MHB colony Gate number 8 Malvani. She was in a relationship with a 17-year-old minor boy for a couple of years. Sugra's parents had prepared jewellery for her marriage, which was worth about Rs 3 lakh. On the request from the boy's family, she resorted to stealing jewellery from her own home and presented it to her lover. The lover, in turn, handed over the stolen jewellery to his mother, who sold it for cash. Subsequently, using the proceeds, the mother absconded from Mumbai with her son, seeking refuge in their village in Kolkata.

Under the guidance of DCP Ajay Kumar Bansal and Senior Inspector Chimaji Adhav, PSI Amol Yanare, along with the detection team, began the investigation and caught the accused in West Bengal, said an officer from Malvani police station. The girl's father filed a complaint of jewelry theft with the police, prompting an investigation by the Malvani police officers. Despite thorough scrutiny, including the examination of CCTV footage in the surrounding area, the police found no leads, raising suspicions of insider involvement.

Two days later, the police summoned the girl to the police station for questioning. After the interrogation, they asked her to return the next day and released her. However, the girl went missing for an extended period, leading her family members to file a missing person's complaint, triggering an ongoing investigation.

Suspicion after this and efforts to locate either her or any relatives proved futile as all their mobile numbers were switched off. Upon extracting Call Detail Records (CDRs) for all the numbers, it was discovered that the accused woman and her relatives changed their numbers every 8 days.

"After an exhaustive investigation, a crucial lead was finally identified in West Bengal. A police team was dispatched to Bengal, resulting in the detention of the girl, her lover, and his mother. During the interrogation, it was disclosed that the boy was a minor, leading to his immediate release after notice", the officer added.

17
Age of the boy