Mumbai Police nab woman who disguised as man to rob relative of ₹1.5 cr, case solved in 12 hrs

The Mira-Bhayandar Vasai Virar (MBVV) Police have arrested a 27-year-old woman who disguised herself as a man with a fake beard to rob her relatives of cash and jewellery worth ₹1.5 crore. The accused, identified as Jyoti Bhanushali, was caught within 12 hours of the crime, with the entire stolen property recovered.

The incident reportedly took place around 12.30 pm on Monday at Kishore Kunj building in Shastri Nagar, Vasai West. At the time, 65-year-old Odhavji Bhanushali was alone at home. The women in the family had gone for Raksha Bandhan celebrations, while younger members were at work.

According to police, Jyoti approached the victim dressed as a man, conversed in their native language, and was invited inside. She claimed she needed to use the washroom, then alleged there was a pipe leak. When the victim went to inspect, she pushed him inside, locked the door, and stole gold jewellery from a bedroom cupboard before fleeing.

Neighbours rescued Odhavji after he raised an alarm, but the suspect had already escaped. Police noticed that other valuables including cash, a mobile phone, a luxury watch, and idols were left untouched, raising suspicion of insider involvement.

CCTV footage from the building showed a person with a dupatta covering the head and a fake beard. When shown the video, family members identified the suspect as Jyoti, sister-in-law of a family member. Police traced her to Gujarat and apprehended her, recovering the stolen goods.