Two Bangladeshi nationals held for temple theft in Mumbai, seized Rs 80,000 cash & stolen idols

Mumbai, February 23: The Navi Mumbai police arrested two Bangladeshi nationals for allegedly committing theft at a temple in Kharghar in January and seized Rs 80,000 cash and stolen idols from them, said an official. Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Bipin Kumar Singh said three cash boxes, some cash and idols were stolen by unidentified persons from ISKCON temple in Kharghar on January 31, 2022.

Officials of Central Crime Unit of Navi Mumbai police, worked on several leads after scanning CCTV footage and taking into account intelligence inputs. They zeroed in on the accused, who are facing separate charges for illegally entering India, he said.

The duo, Raju Farhat Sheikh, 26, and Amirul alias Akash Mannan Khan, 23, was arrested from Navi Mumbai on February 14, said Singh. The police seized Rs 80,000 in cash and idols stolen from the temple from the accused, who illegally entered India from Bangladesh through the West Bengal border with the help of an agent. Action has been taken against them under the Passport Act and other relevant laws, the police commissioner said.

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Cases of temple theft and house breaking have been registered against the duo in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and also Ahmedabad and they were arrested in some of them earlier. The accused, who were sent to police remand by a local court after their arrest, are now in jail under judicial custody.