Mumbai: House Help Accused of Theft After She Posted Photo of Stolen Diamond Ring on Instagram

A theft case has been registred against a domestic worker after she uploaded a photo of a diamond ring on Instagram. Khar Police have registered a theft case against the maid in connection with jewelry stolen last year. The accused, identified as Sanjana Santosh Gujar, is currently under investigation, and police officials have stated that any official statement regarding her involvement will be made after a thorough inquiry.

Acording to the Khar police complainent Nandita Nimit Thakkar, 49, lives with her family in the Khar area of Mumbai. For domestic help, she employed two maids—Shankutala and Saloni, who had been working for her for seven and two years, respectively. In December 2022, Nandita wore her diamond-studded jewelry to an event. After the function, she stored all her jewelry safely in a cupboard. During this time, Saloni was visiting her hometown, and in her absence, Nandita hired Sanjana Gujar for household work. Sanjana worked at her home from January 12 to January 21, 2023. After Saloni returned from her village, Nandita let go of Sanjana’s services.

In February last year, Nandita was preparing to attend another event and went to retrieve her jewelry from the cupboard, only to find that some of her valuables, including diamond earrings, five gold diamond rings, and other items worth ₹8 lakhs, were missing. Despite questioning Shankutala and Saloni, both denied any knowledge of the missing items. Trusting her regular staff, Nandita chose to ignore the matter.

On September 10, 2024, while browsing Instagram, Nandita stumbled upon a photo of Sanjana wearing a diamond ring that looked strikingly similar to her stolen one. Growing suspicious, she immediately lodged a complaint with the Khar Police, alleging that Sanjana had stolen the jewelry from her house.

Following her complaint, the police registered a theft case against Sanjana. Senior Police Inspector Sanjeev Dhumal confirmed the development, adding that since the incident is from last year, a detailed investigation is underway. Appropriate legal action will be taken against Sanjana if her involvement in the crime is confirmed.