Belagavi jeweller arrested for staging theft to claim insurance

BELAGAVI: The police have arrested the owner of a jewellery store for allegedly staging a theft to claim insurance money. The jeweller had stolen gold from his own shop and later filed a complaint with the police.

On July 16, the owner of V P Varnikar & Sons Jewellers at Ramdev Galli in the city, Krishnananda Varnikar, had filed a complaint stating that thieves had broken into his shop. He complained that gold worth around Rs 65,95,000 from his shop had been stolen. He had stolen from his own shop and then came and filed a complaint at Khade Bazaar police station, police commissioner Bhushan Gulabrao Borase said.

After receiving the complaint, police began a detailed inquiry into the case and grew suspicious of Krishnananda Varnikar after the stolen items were found in the glove box of Varnikar’s scooter. They took him into custody and questioned him. During questioning, the case came to light and Krishnananda confessed that he himself had stolen from his own shop, the police commissioner said.

Krishnananda confessed to the police saying he committed the act for the sake of insurance money. Police have arrested the accused and are investigating whether this was the only reason for the theft or if there are any other motives. A case has been registered at Khade Bazaar police station regarding this.