Dancer, choreographer Swati Bhise’s househelp arrested for theft

A Tussar silk saree, a Banarasi Saree, a Chanderi Lucknow saree, an Ikkat Saree and a dress material were missing, said a police officer

MUMBAI: The househelp of famous Bharatanatyam dancer, choreographer and producer Swati Bhise was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly stealing her costly sarees and dress materials when she was on a work trip to the US.

Pune, India - October 10, 2019: Directot Swati Bhise at Pride hotel Shivaji nagar in Pune, India, on Thursday, October 10, 2019. (Photo by Rahul Raut/HT PHOTO)

According to the police, Bhise often travels for work and in March this year, she went to the United States on one such trip and returned in September. In her absence, her personal assistant, Natasha Petawala, maintained her house and managed the house staff. She had two full-time and three part-time staff employed. On October 6, when she checked her cupboard to select a saree for an event, she realised that some of her expensive sarees were missing.

A Tussar silk saree, a Banarasi Saree, a Chanderi Lucknow saree, an Ikkat Saree and a dress material were missing, said a police officer.

“Anju Kerkatta and Anjana Bada stay in Bhise’s Malabar Hill residence’s servant quarters and are full-time househelp. In March 2025, Bhise had kept her sarees in a cupboard in her bedroom and had gone to the US and returned last month. When she had to go for an event on October 6, she checked her cupboard for sarees and found that four of her costly sarees were missing,” the officer said, adding that one of the sarees was found in Bada’s belongings when searched.

Based on Bhise’s complaint, the police registered a case against Bada under Section 306 (theft committed by a clerk or servant against their employer’s property) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. She was arrested on Tuesday and produced before a court, which remanded her in judicial custody for 14 days.