Relatives hide will of deceased woman, steal jewellery and cash

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Five South Mumbai residents have been arrested by the Malabar police for allegedly stealing cash and jewellery from the account of a dead relative, despite her willing a large part of the over Rs 10 crore estate to religious and animal welfare charities.

According to a report in Mumbai Mirror, one of the accused's brother informed the cops about a suspicious money transfer from the deceased's account, Sushilaben Balubhai who passed away in July 2019.

Apart from her Walkeshwar flat which she willed to her brother Bhavesh Sanghavi and Rs 11 lakh which she left for her sister, the deceased had left the remaining amount for charity to a temple in her native village, Jian Golden temple, Jain Shwetabar Murtipujak Sangh.

The five accused, according to the police, did not reveal the existence of the will and continued to withdraw cash and jewellery from her accounts and bank lockers.

The police have recovered jewellery worth Rs 1 crore and frozen Rs 51 lakh in chartered accountant Bhavesh Sanghavi's account. The cops also detected a transfer of Rs 7 lakh into Ramesh Shah's account and sealed lockers belonging to Dinesh and Prashant Shah. The investigators also have footage of Dinesh Shah allegedly carrying all the jewellery from Sushilaben's lockers.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone-II, Rajiv Jain said that a case of criminal breach of trust has been registered.

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