Cook arrested in ₹27 lakh watch theft case

A cook in Mumbai has been arrested for stealing his employer's luxury watch worth ₹27 lakh. The stolen watch has not yet been recovered.

Mumbai: The Gamdevi Police arrested cook Murari Chandravanshi on Saturday, from his residence in Worli for stealing his employer’s luxury watch valued at ₹27 lakh. The stolen watch is yet to be recovered, the police told the court on Sunday.

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The complainant, a 34-year-old investor Siddharth Somaiya, from Carmichael Road in South Mumbai, approached Gamdevi police and reported that his luxury watch was stolen from his residence. The incident unfolded when Somaiya left his bedroom for lunch in the drawing room. Upon his return in the evening, he discovered his Patek Philippe watch from the Aquanaut Collection, valued at approximately ₹27 lakh, missing from his drawer.

The police disclosed that Somaiya had two servants—a female house-help with over 40 years of service and a cook who has been with the family for the last two years. Somaiya grew suspicious of Chandravanshi as he was the only individual to leave the residence during the timeframe of the theft.

Chandravanshi, who had also left the house, claimed to have gone downstairs. However, suspicions arose when CCTV footage showed the cook taking an unusual route leading to the parking area, garage, and eventually outside the society. When questioned, Chandravanshi mentioned meeting a friend at the bus stop, but his reluctance to provide details raised further doubts.

The complainant emphasised the sentimental value of the stolen watch, as it was a birthday gift from Somaiya’s mother. “We have arrested Chandravanshi and are pursuing the recovery of the stolen watch,” said a police officer from the Gamdevi police station.