Senior citizen robbery case: Two arrested, mastermind still on the run in Mumbai

They had allegedly robbed a 66-year-old woman of Rs37 lakh at gunpoint

Two men were arrested on Saturday for allegedly conspiring with the house help at a 66-year-old woman’s residence and robbing her of Rs37 lakh in Khar (West) on August 31.

The Khar police arrested Hasheem Asik Ali Shaikh, 30, and Santosh Ramana Ghoghe, 21.

They are now on the lookout for Raju, the domestic help, who is said to be the mastermind.

A police officer said, “We arrested Shaikh and Ghoghe on Saturday night and they were remanded in police custody till September 6. We have recovered some of the stolen cash from them. They said they used a toy gun to scare the woman. We are on the lookout for the third accused who worked as a cook for the family.”

The incident took place at Kaushalya Gurbani’s 7th floor home at Murumal mansion building in Khar on August 31.

Raju, 28, had been working at her place for more than a year and was referred by a domestic help who worked at her relative’s home. The Gurbanis did not get him registered with the Khar police, said an officer.

Raju used to come to the house twice a day. He used to sleep in the security guard’s cabin in the building, said Gurbani.

On Thursday, after he saw that Gurbani’s husband Chandu, a contractor, her son, daughter-in-law and grandson were not at home, he allegedly let Shaikh and Ghoghe into the house after they rang the bell.

They threatened her at gunpoint, gagged and tied her after she gave them the key to a locker which contained Rs30 lakh in cash and gold, said the police.

“They collected the valuables and fled. After a few minutes, the woman managed to free herself and informed her family members and neighbours, who alerted the police,” said an officer.