36 tolas gold, ₹1 lakh cash stolen by trusted relative

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

A 19-year-old nephew allegedly stole 36 tolas of gold ornaments and Rs 1 lakh in cash from the house of a retired deputy regional transport officer in New Nandanvan Colony. A case has been registered at the Chhawani police station on Wednesday, and the accused has not appeared for inquiry.

Anilkumar Baste (63), who retired from the transport department, had been staying with his 70-year-old ailing mother-in-law, Tarabai. About seven months ago, her grandson, Piyush Mahire, came to visit and later continued living with the family. He gradually took charge of household responsibilities, including buying groceries, managing the house and walking the pet dog, earning the family’s trust. On March 29, at around 11 am, the couple left home to attend a birthday function and returned in the evening. On March 31, at about 6 am, Piyush left, stating he was going to Jalgaon. The same night, when the cupboard was opened, gold ornaments and cash were found missing. A search of the house yielded nothing. When confronted, Piyush denied involvement and later stopped responding to calls. The stolen property includes around 36 tolas of gold and Rs 1 lakh in cash. After Baste lodged a complaint, police called Piyush for questioning, but he did not respond. In-charge officer Dr Vivek Jadhav said a case has been registered, and assistant police sub-inspector Ahmed Sayyed is investigating further.