'Rs 75,000, gold jewellery, multiple wallets': Ex-TV actor Rupa Dutta arrested in Kolkata for stealing purse; 2nd arrest in 3 years

KOLKATA: Rupa Dutta, a former TV actor, was arrested by the Kolkata Police detective department for allegedly stealing gold ornaments from a shop in Posta on Oct 15.

This was the second time that Dutta (42) was arrested. In 2022, she was caught for pickpocketing at the book fair. Cops caught her even as she tried to walk away after discarding a wallet in a dustbin. A search of her bag had revealed Rs 75,000 and multiple wallets.

This time, police began investigation after a woman complained that cash and gold jewellery were stolen from her bag in the Adi Bashtala Lane area under the Posta PS, when Dutta's name surfaced. After reviewing CCTV footage and questioning her, she was detained near Nandaram Market in the Burrabazar PS area on Thursday night. She was produced at a local court on Friday and sent to police custody till Nov 7.

Joint CP (crime & traffic) Rupesh Kumar said that between 4.15 pm and 4.30 pm on Oct 15, the accused picked Dipa Agarwal's purse, which contained a gold mangalsutra, weighing about 20 g, a gold chain with a locket of Vaishno Devi, weighing about 21 g, two gold bracelets, weighing about 13 g and 9 g, and Rs 4,000 cash. The theft took place when Agarwal was at a shop in Posta.

"CCTV footage of the place of occurrence and nearby areas was collected and analysed. Acting on a tip-off and technical surveillance, cops started to keep a watch on the Burrabazar area. A team from the Watch Section of the detective department, with the help of a woman officer, caught Dutta from near Nanda Ram Market on Brabourne Road on Thursday afternoon," said Kumar.

Police said an interrogation led police to her Garcha Road home, from where the gold jewellery, weighing about 63 g together, was recovered. "During her questioning that we learnt that she was a former TV actor," said Kumar.

Dutta, said a member of the television industry, used to be a familiar face in Kolkata's acting circles. She worked in the Hindi serial, ‘Jai Maa Vaishnodevi', apart from some Bengali films.

"Some CCTV images, which will be crucial to the investigation, have been obtained," said an officer.