Junior TV serial artist arrested for stealing two-wheelers

Mumbai A 30-year-old junior artist, working in Marathi television serials, dramas and web-series, was arrested for allegedly stealing 23 bikes and selling them in his native village in Jalgaon

Mumbai A 30-year-old junior artist, working in Marathi television serials, dramas and web-series, was arrested for allegedly stealing 23 bikes and selling them in his native village in Jalgaon.

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The Navghar police said Sunil Choudhari, a resident of Badlapur, was facing financial crisis and started stealing bikes, from the eastern suburbs of the city, to make quick money. “We have arrested Choudhari and recovered 23 stolen bikes from his friends in his village. The case is being investigated by police-sub-inspector Ganesh Sanap,” said an officer from Navghar police station.

According to the police, Choudhari used to work as an extra, or junior artist, on daily wage basis. He had taken several loans and could not pay back his creditors, who had started demanding money from him.

“Choudhari started stealing vehicles from areas such as Mulund, Ghatkopar and even Thane. He used to start in the evening, at around 7.30 pm, break the handle lock of the vehicle, start the engine by directly connecting switch wires and flee with the two-wheeler,” said a police officer.

On January 26, a bike was stolen from Navghar in Mulund East. With the leads we got from footages of the CCTV cameras, we identified and traced Choudhari and eventually, managed to arrest him. After his interrogation, we have succeeded in recovering 23 motorcycles sold by him in Pachora and Muktai nagar in Jalgaon district,” said the police officer.

“Choudhari said that he earned little as a junior artist and was unable to clear his debts. He sold the stolen bikes at cheap prices in his native place in Jalgaon district, mostly to his friends and others known to him. We have recovered several stolen Honda, Bajaj and Royal Enfield two-wheelers,” said the officer.

Choudhari’s friends told us that they paid anywhere between ₹15,000 and ₹40,000 to purchase the stolen bikes from Choudhari, said the officer.

“He had dreams of making it big in the Marathi film industry and that’s why he had come to the city and had started working as a side artist,” said the police officer. Choudhari has been booked under section 379 of the Indian Penal Code for theft.