Lucknow: Cook’s wife held over ₹1.5 crore household theft spanning 12 years

Police claimed that the couple sold some of the stolen jewellery and deposited the proceeds into their bank accounts. According to police, the woman told investigators that some of the money was used to buy jewellery, while land was also purchased from the proceeds.

The Mahanagar police on Sunday arrested a woman in Bihar in connection with the alleged theft of ₹50 lakh in cash and jewellery worth around ₹1 crore from a house in Metro City, Paper Mill Colony. Police said the woman, Vibha Devi, and her husband, Jitendra Pandit, allegedly stole the valuables on several occasions over nearly 12 years, taking advantage of his job as a cook at the house.

Mahanagar police arrested the accused, Vibha Devi, in Bihar on Sunday. (For representation)

According to SHO AK Mishra, Jitendra had been working as a cook at complainant Shalini Mishra’s house for around 12 years and had access to the premises. During her occasional visits to Lucknow, Vibha allegedly joined him in stealing cash and valuables.

Police claimed that the couple sold some of the stolen jewellery and deposited the proceeds into their bank accounts.

According to police, the woman told investigators that some of the money was used to buy jewellery, while land was also purchased from the proceeds.

“A bank account linked to the accused in which around ₹60 lakh is currently deposited has been frozen,” the SHO said.

The arrest of Vibha from a tent house in Runni Saidpur, Sitamarhi, led to the recovery of two gold bangles weighing around 55.4 gm and ₹25,000 in cash, police said, adding that the jewellery and cash were linked to the stolen proceeds. Section 317(2) of the BNS was subsequently added to the case.

Investigators are now examining the couple’s financial transactions and property purchases to establish the extent of the alleged theft and trace the proceeds, while search for Jitendra is underway.