The Vashi police have arrested the manager of Gehna Jewellers who had decamped with 2.5 kg of gold worth ₹1 crore last week. The police nabbed the accused, Gopal Solanki, from a forest at Pali in Rajasthan on Saturday and recovered 1 kg of the stolen gold. His accomplice is still on the run.
The police said the burglary was planned by Mr. Solanki’s friend, a history-sheeter from Rajasthan, who had come to meet him in Vashi. The friend convinced Mr. Solanki, who had been working at the shop for the past 15 years, to commit the crime. The police said Mr. Solanki and his friend broke into the shop in the intervening night of November 10 and 11, divided the loot and fled. The police said Mr. Solanki did not turn up to open the shop the next day and the theft came to light when the shop’s shutter was opened with the help of a locksmith.
Assistant Police Inspector Paritosh Shiurkar said, “We had received a tip-off that the accused was hiding in the forest and we camped in Pali for one week. We had also surrounded the village and there was no way he could have escaped. After a search of nearly four days, we nabbed him on Saturday night.” The police said the search team left for Navi Mumbai at midnight after making a diary entry at the local police station.
Mr. Solanki was arrested under Section 381 (theft by clerk or servant of property in possession of master). He was produced before the Vashi court on Sunday and has been remanded in police custody till Friday.
