Kolkata: Police have launched an investigation into a complaint alleging a break-in and theft of valuables worth lakhs from a high-rise residential apartment in the Mukundapur area under the Purba Jadavpur police station area. A tenant, who had been away from the city for several months due to family emergencies in Punjab, returned to find the main lock of his rented 24th-floor flat replaced and his household belongings, worth several lakhs, missing alongside gold and silver jewellery and cash.According to cops, the complainant, an IT professional residing in the complex since early 2025, had travelled out of Kolkata in May this year. Upon returning with his family on Sept 11, he discovered a fresh padlock on the main entrance. Enquiries with the building management revealed that maintenance personnel had reportedly accessed the flat earlier during his absence to repair urgently leaking water pipelines after obtaining duplicate keys from the property owner.The victim subsequently discovered that all his personal possessions, furniture, and appliances had been removed from the premises without his consent or prior notice. Crucially, the complainant alleged that gold ornaments—including chains and rings belonging to his wife and minor son—silver jewellery, and Rs 35,000 in cash kept inside a locked wardrobe cupboard were missing. The complainant also noted that original purchase receipts for the stolen jewellery, which were stored alongside the valuables in the same locker, had been removed, allegedly to hinder proof of ownership.Investigators stated that while the property owner remains under active scrutiny for unlawful entry and illegal eviction without due legal process, officers are also evaluating the roles of several other individuals who had access to or custody of the flat and its contents during the period. “We are investigating the sequence of events from multiple angles. While the role of the property owner is being thoroughly probed, we are also ascertaining the involvement of maintenance staff, local caretakers, and relatives who handled the shifting of the belongings,” a senior officer of Kolkata Police said.Police have registered a case under relevant sections pertaining to criminal trespass, theft, and dishonestly receiving stolen property. Further interrogation of key witnesses and examination of security register logs and CCTV footage from the apartment complex are currently underway.
