Rs 18-crore heist: Nepalese domestic staff vanish after looting Bengaluru builder’s home; CCTV disabled

BENGALURU: In one of the city’s biggest heists, domestic staff allegedly decamped with gold, diamond and silver jewellery worth an estimated Rs 18 crore from a builder’s residence at ASK Lake Garden on Kempapura Main Road in Yamaluru recently. The accused are a Nepalese couple identified as Dinesh (32) and his wife Kamala (25). According to the complaint filed by Shimanth S Arjun (28), a businessman, the theft occurred between 9 am and 12.30 pm on January 25. Arjun, son of MR Shivakumar, told Marathahalli police that his family has been residing in the house for the past 19 years. His father Shivakumar, a builder, was out of town for work at the time of the incident. Dinesh and Kamala had joined as housekeepers about 20 days ago through acquaintances identified as Vikash and Maya Vishu. They were employed at the house along with cooks Siddharama and Ambika. On January 25, at around 9 am, the complainant, along with his wife and mother, left the house to attend his wife’s land worship ceremony at H Cross on Hoskote–Chintamani Road. At around 12.38 pm the same day, Arjun received a call from the cook Ambika, who alerted him that cupboard locks had been broken and valuables stolen, allegedly by Dinesh and Kamala with the help of others. When the family rushed back, they found that a locker in the ground-floor bedroom had been broken open using an iron bar, with about 10 kg of gold and diamond ornaments stolen. Another locker in the first-floor bedroom was also found broken, from which around 1.5 kg of gold ornaments, about 5 kg of silver jewellery and Rs 11.5 lakh in cash were missing. In all, gold, diamond and silver ornaments and cash worth approximately Rs 18 crore were reported stolen. The complainant alleged that the couple had closely observed the movements of family members in advance. Police have registered a case under Section 306 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (theft by clerk or servant of property in possession of master). Efforts are on to nab the absconding couple. A senior police officer said the suspects had disconnected the power supply to disable CCTV cameras. The complainant further told police that the couple were replacements for regular domestic staff Vikash and Maya and had agreed to work for a monthly salary of Rs 27,000. Despite repeated requests, they did not submit identity proofs.