Mumbai Crime: Three cops docked in IC Colony burglary spree

The grill of one of the bedroom windows had been cut, according to complainant Varni Sequeira

Three beat marshals of the MHB police station were served show-cause notices and fined Rs 500 each for negligence, after a house in IC Colony, Borivli West, was robbed of Rs 25 lakh in October this year. The complainant had approached Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh last week after the MHB police were unable to find the robbers even three months on.

Varni Sequeira shows the broken grill which she found on the day of the incident. Pic/Satej Shinde

The three personnel were identified as Constable Kamble, Police naik Rathod and Constable Salvi. Police sources said the action will impact their entire career and on service records and their increment and promotions.

The complainant, Varni Sequeira, said the incident took place between October 17-18 when the entire family had gone for a picnic to Shahpur. Surprisingly, the robbers didn't break open the cupboard door but seemed to have opened it with some master key.

Speaking to mid-day, Sequeira said, "When we returned from our picnic on October 18 evening, I found 5-6 pearls strewn on the floor in my bedroom. When I opened the cupboard with my key, I found jewellery worth Rs 25 lakh missing. Later, when we checked the house, we found the window grills of one of the bedrooms had been cut. I registered an FIR with the cops. On December 19, I complained to CP Parambir Singh that there was no development even three months after the robbery."

She said, "The police feel that someone from the building committed this crime. Our society's CCTV camera fixed at the back of the building is not working and we know that the accused entered the building from there. But, it is a mystery how they opened the cupboard without a key. There have been so many such robberies in our area since August."

'No evidence'

Senior Inspector Pandit Thakare of MHB police station told mid-day, "We found no evidence of any robbers entering or leaving the house. The complainant told us that the accused entered through the window grill but the grill has little space. It is impossible for a human being to enter."

Thakare added, "However, we have registered the case and are investigating. We checked CCTV camera footage but didn't find any suspicious person entering or leaving the society. The cupboard where the gold jewellery was kept was also opened without any damage to it. We gave a memo to the three beat marshals who were on duty during the incident and also gave them a show cause notice."

Sequeira said, "I am a widow, living with my pregnant daughter-in-law. My son was away at the time of the theft as he works with the Merchant Navy. The officer wanted to know when he would be back, suggesting that they wished to talk to him.

During the entire investigation, the MHB police was more interested in how I had acquired so much jewellery, saying it could be an income tax issue. They also wanted to know how much more jewellery I had in my bank locker and kept harassing me for a detailed description of what had been stolen."