On 16 June 2021, Powai police arrested a 26-year-old man for stealing jewelry worth Rs 30 lakh from a jewelry shop in Powai and the case was solved within six hours upon filing the complaint. The arrested accused has been identified as Hiralal Lehrulal Kumawat, originally hailing from Rajasthan. Hiralal was released on bail on May 20 earlier this year following his arrest for a similar crime. Police have since seized all the jewelry stolen by the accused.
Hiralal had committed a robbery two years ago when he had come to Mumbai to pay off his debts however was caught. After being released on bail, he started working in a jewelry shop in Powai. Powai police caught up with him while he was preparing to flee back to his hometown in Rajasthan with the stolen jewelry.“After being released on bail, Hiralal had started working in this shop in Powai 10 days ago. He was looking for opportunities to reduce the mounting debt he had accrued. Taking advantage of the fact that the owner of the shop was not around on Wednesday, and that he was alone in the shop, he seized the opportunity, stole the jewelry and escaped,” revealed Powai police.
On Wednesday, Ashok Kumar Mandot, the owner of Riya Gold, a jewelry store located in Tunga gaon, Powai, reported to the police that Hiralal broke into a glass showcase and stole jewelry worth Rs 30,42,000 from the shop. “We had received credible information that the accused had booked an Innova SUV from a private travel company for his hometown in Rajasthan,” said Aburao Sonawane, senior police inspector, Powai police station.
Under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner of Police, Maheshwar Reddy, Assistant Commissioner (Sakinaka Division) Mukund Pawar, Vaponi Aburao Sonawane, Police Inspector Santosh Sawant, Crime Disclosure Officer and Assistant Inspector of Police Vinod Patil, an investigation was spearheaded by forming a team including various other police officers.
“We have arrested the accused from Palghar, Casa with the help of local police We had learned that the accused was trying to flee and had garnered the information based on our intelligence. The stolen property has since been seized from him,” said Police Inspector Vinod Patil, Crime Disclosure Officer. “Kumawat was arrested in a similar case filed at Khandeshwar Police Station. He was released on bail on May 20,” said Inspector Santosh Sawant.
The arrested accused has been booked for theft under the under IPC section 354/2021, article 381 of the Indian Penal Code, and was produced before a local magistrate’s court where he was remanded in police custody for further questioning.