Trusted insider turns thief: Actor’s manager nabbed for Rs 1.3cr heist

Mohali: Mohali police on Tuesday cracked the high-profile burglary at Punjabi actor Kuljinder Sidhu's jewellery showroom in Sector 66 with the arrest of the actor's manager, Deepak Kumar Bhardwaj, who was working with the family for the past four years. Police said the accused used his familiarity with the showroom's security system to carry out the theft and later attempted to destroy evidence by taking away the DVR.

The incident took place on Nov 2. According to the complaint filed by Kuljinder's brother and business partner Vikram Singh Sidhu, all jewellery items were placed in the strong-room lockers before he closed shop on Nov 2. The next day was a Sunday, and the showroom remained shut. When he returned on Nov 3, he found the lockers empty and immediately alerted the Chandigarh Police.


A joint probe was launched, and the focus soon shifted to the showroom staff. Investigators discovered inconsistencies in manager Deepak's statements and zeroed in on him. Superintendent of Police (City 2) Dilpreet Singh said the strong room was secured with the layer electronic lock system, the passcode for which was known only to loyal, long-serving staff. Being in the showroom for nearly four years, Deepak had access to the pass and used it to open the locker without any signs of forced entry.

To shield himself, Deepak removed the DVR and fled with jewellery worth Rs 1.3 crore, Rs 60,000 in cash, and the recording device. However, police teams tracked his movements through CCTV footage captured on roadside cameras. "Though he took away the showroom's DVR, he was picked up from footage of other locations. His trail ultimately led us to him," SP Dilpreet Singh said.

Deepak was arrested on Tuesday, and during sustained interrogation, he led police to the stolen property kept at his residence in Kharar. Police recovered 40 pairs of tops, 61 gold earrings, two silver earrings, a locket, two necklaces, and several other gold items, along with the DVR.

SP Dilpreet Singh said the accused is currently in police remand for further interrogation to determine whether anyone else was involved or if he attempted to dispose of the stolen items. "The entire stolen material has been recovered," the SP added. Police are now examining Deepak's financial background and phone records to establish the exact motive behind the meticulously planned burglary. Police said the accused, aged around 47 and a graduate, executed the burglary with "agility and cleverness," exploiting his trusted position in the showroom. The DVR, cash, and EPABX machine are also being recovered during his custodial interrogation.



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