Correspondent, 23 October: A shocking incident has come to light in Satve of Panhala taluka, where a 19-year-old youth stole 15 tolas of gold jewelry from his uncle's house to fulfill his desire of owning a car. The accused, identified as Samar Popat Chavan, used the proceeds from the stolen ornaments to purchase a brand-new Mahindra Thar.
In a surprising turn of events, after buying the vehicle, Samar invited his uncle, Umesh Maruti Chavan, who lives next door, and his family to attend the pooja ceremony for the new car. While preparing for the pooja, Umesh's wife searched for her jewelry to wear to the event, which led to the sudden discovery of the theft.
The family grew highly suspicious as the grandmother's jewelry, kept in the exact same location, remained completely untouched. Since only the ornaments belonging to Umesh and his wife were missing, they suspected the involvement of an insider. Following this realization, Umesh Chavan lodged a theft complaint at the Kodoli police station two days ago.
Upon receiving the complaint, the police initiated a probe and began questioning how Samar suddenly acquired the funds to purchase a new vehicle. The investigation soon established his involvement. During interrogation, Samar confessed that he had stolen the jewelry about a month ago and, in collusion, sold it to a local village goldsmith, Sangram Babaso More, for 10 lakh rupees to fund the Thar.
The Kodoli police have taken both the accused nephew, Samar Chavan, and the goldsmith who purchased the stolen goods, Sangram More, into custody. Further investigation is currently underway under the guidance of Probationary Deputy Superintendent of Police Shrikant Thikane, and efforts to recover the stolen valuables are in progress.
