Cops nab thief working as maid with ex-Miss World

Former Miss World and actress Yukta Mookhey has lauded Mumbai police, and said she is extremely grateful to its personnel as they saved her from becoming the victim of a felony. Mookhey was shocked on learning that the 38-year-old she had employed as maid less than a week ago, was wanted in a robbery case. Kandivli police has arrested the maid.

Relieved: Former Miss World and actress Yukta Mookhey. File pic

It was technology and circumstantial evidence that aided cops in cracking the over a month-old robbery case, in which the maid has been apprehended along with her boyfriend. The woman was picked up by Kandivli police from the 1999 Miss World's residence in Dadar, when the accused finally switched on her mobile phone after the

Rs 6.5-lakh heist she orchestrated on May 4 at the Railway Quarters residence of Nagma Yaseen Amaan (48). Assistant inspector from Kandivli police station Raghuvindar Kshirsagar said, "We have arrested Yukta Mookhey's maid Sunita Nandkumar Varik (38) and her boyfriend Vinod Eshwar Karande (35) from Dadar. She is very crafty and has many cases of similar crimes lodged against her at various police stations, including Nerul in Navi Mumbai."

Senior police inspector Hareshwar N Pimple of Kandivli said, "On May 4, Sunita, who used to work for Nagma at her residence, decamped with gold valuables worth Rs 6.5 lakh. With the help of her boyfriend Vinod, she disposed of some of the jewellery."

Nagma, who lives alone, discovered the crime after returning home from work.

The accused had worked at the victim's residence for a few months and managed to earn her trust. Sunita hails from Navi Mumbai, and after the crime her mobile location was traced to Nerul where her family members reside.

"Mookhey was oblivious of the woman's antecedents because she was brought in by her former maid to fill in for her around five days ago. The actress has appreciated our work and thanked us," Pimple added. Sources from Kandivli police station revealed that the accused's mobile location was last traced to Gorakhpur were she was staying in a guesthouse on rent, and later the phone was switched off.

But a few days ago when she landed in Mumbai and activated her cellphone with a different number, cops got her location with the help of the IMEI number. Sunita was using three mobile SIM cards, of which one was provided by Vinod. The duo has divided the booty Sunita had looted from Nagma's house. Sunita has spent her share in Gorakhpur and other cities, while police is trying to recover the rest from Vinod. The latter has revealed in his confession that he was attempting to get Sunita deported to Nepal.

"We have booked them under 381 and other sections of IPC. They were produced before a court on Sunday that remanded them in police custody for three days," added Kshirsagar.u00a0