Mumbai: Stolen car of actress Sharika Ahluwalia recovered; driver still at large

Cops with the recovered car

The Juhu police have successfully recovered the stolen car belonging to Pooja, a 35-year-old television actress also known as Sharika Raina Ahluwalia. The incident occurred when her driver fled with the vehicle, along with her mobile phone and wallet. Additionally, the accused illicitly withdrew money from her bank account before abandoning the car outside Pratiksha Bungalow in Juhu and escaping.

Pooja, who is not only an actress but also an advocate, is actively involved in popular daily shows such as Naagin and Kumkum Bhagya, among others. She expressed her gratitude to the police for their swift action in recovering her car within a span of 48 hours. Currently, the Juhu police are intensifying their efforts to apprehend the driver, Ilias Ali, who remains at large. The incident resulted in a loss of Rs 57,000 from Ahluwalia's bank account.

Ilias Ali, the accused driver

Sharing her account of the incident with mid-day, Ahluwalia said, "We had hired Ali for our daily transportation needs, including pick-ups and drop-offs. On June 22, in the afternoon, Ali dropped me off at school to pick up my child. He parked the vehicle at the roadside corner. Upon my return with my child, both the driver and the car had vanished. Initially, I assumed he had encountered an emergency or had been directed by traffic police to move the car."

She continued, "After waiting for some time, I managed to catch an auto-rickshaw and return home. Unfortunately, my mobile phone and wallet were left inside the car. I immediately informed the Juhu police about the incident, and they promptly registered an FIR and initiated an investigation." The accused misused Ahluwalia's ATM card and employed her mobile phone to generate OTP, enabling the withdrawal of Rs 57,000 from her account.

Pooja Ahluwalia

The Juhu police collaborated with traffic police and examined CCTV footage to aid in their investigation. Through these efforts, they discovered the stolen car parked outside Amitabh Bachchan's Pratiksha Bungalow in Juhu, while the accused managed to flee the scene. Although the driver remains at large, the police successfully recovered the actress's stolen car.

Expressing her gratitude, Ahluwalia stated, "I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to the Juhu police for swiftly recovering and returning my car to me. I sincerely hope that the accused driver will be arrested soon."