Family jewels missing, Man suspects wife

Tailor says his new bride stole gold valuables worth Rs 2.5 lakh to help her parents tide over crisis

Family jewels missing, Man suspects wife

Tailor says his new bride stole gold valuables worth Rs 2.5 lakh to help her parents tide over crisis

Shakeel Ahmed (37), a resident of Hegde Nagar, has alleged that his wife of a little more than a year gave the gold valuables to her parents, who are going through a financial crisis.

Mother left to suffer

SAAS OF THE SAGA: Shabanam, the mother of tailor Shakil Ahmed

"She not only stole valuables but also abandoned my bedridden mother when I was not here," said Ahmed.
He said Rs 10,000 in cash was also missing from where the jewellery used to be.

The tailor has been working in the UAE for the past seven years.

He said he married Salma (27) in March 2008. After spending a month here, he went back to the UAE, leaving Salma to take care of his ailing mother.

In February, he came back to the city, only to find his mother alone at home and Salma missing.

He said Salma was living with her parents and returned only after he gave her a piece of his mind.

He said the theft came to light two days after that, when Ahmed was invited to a dinner party by his brother-in-law and his mother wanted to wear the jewellery.

"There were 14 gold bangles, two earrings and a gold chain, which she bought for herself over the years. Some of the valuables she purchased during the recent Haj pilgrimage," Ahmed told the police.

Was it burglary?

Ahmed at first thought there had been a burglary, but he said when Salma insisted he wait and look around for the jewellery some more time before giving a police complaint, his suspicion was aroused. Also, he said there was no evidence of burglary, like broken locks, anywhere.

He said later Salma confessed to stealing the gold and giving it to her parents, who were facing a financial crisis.

Beaten by in-laws

Ahmed said his in-laws also admitted to having taken the valuables and promised to return them soon. Ahmed said he soon learnt the in-laws had sold some of the jewellery and pawned some of it.

After some time, Ahmed demanded the jewellery back from his in-laws, who he saod not only threatened him with a false dowry harassment case, but also beat him up.

Ahmed went to the police, who he said at first would not file a complaint, but finally registered a theft case against Salma on November 17, after Ahmed approached the court.

The Kothanur police, who are investigating the case, said Salma and her family could not be found.
u00a0
"They also filed a dowry harassment case in the same police station soon after Shakeel approached the police," an assistant sub inspector said.

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels