The Azad Maidan police has arrested a couple for allegedly stealing cash from a visitor at the Bombay hospital. The police said the accused, who were also present in the hospital to consult a doctor, stole the handbag of a businessman’s wife to fund treatment.
The accused, identified as Rajnarayan Yadav (53) and his wife Mitali Yadav (45), were arrested late last week from their Vasai residence. Yadav works as a lab technician, said police. After their arrest, the duo claimed that Rajnarayan was suffering from a heart ailment and they had stolen the money to fund his treatment.
During the time of the incident, the complainant’s mother was admitted in the hospital. Pravin Dhokaniya and his wife were frequent visitors at the hospital. He used to bring his mother to the hospital for regular check-ups.
On December 26, the businessman kept an envelope consisting of Rs 45,000 in his wife’s handbag, which was noticed by the accused man.
“Yadav saw them keep the cash and tipped-off his wife. He then covered his wife, who fled with the bag that contained Rs 45,000,” said an officer from Azad Maidan police station.
The complainant realised that their money had been stolen when they went to the hospital’s counter to pay the bill for his mother’s treatment. They then informed the on-duty hospital staff, who guided them to the Azad Maidan police station. A case of theft was registered on the same day.
“We started scrutinising the CCTV footage from the camera installed inside the hospital premises. We checked and zeroed in on the suspects,” said an investigator.
The police then inquired with the doctors, who said the couple were advised to consult doctors at KEM hospital.
“We went to KEM hospital. There we got the accused’s phone number, following which a team was sent to his registered residential address in Bhiwandi. We were informed that they had leased the apartment to another family. We then got the accused’s residential address from their tenants. The team then went to their new address in Vasai and arrested them,” said an officer.
The police said they had found the complainant’s handbag, but failed to recover the money. The two were remanded in police custody and after a day, they were sent to judicial custody.
