He fled with everyone’s salaries 18 years ago. A steel container in his kitchen gave him away

As the guards briefly stepped toward the lift, Yadav — who had been employed as the driver — took the cash and fled. (Image generated using AI)

Over 18 years ago, Ramjit Sakur Yadav, who worked at Mandhana Industries Ltd, fled with Rs 20 lakh meant to pay the salaries of his colleagues. But it was a steel container in his kitchen that became a crucial piece of evidence against him. On Monday, a Mumbai magistrate court convicted him of theft and sentenced him to three months of simple imprisonment.

But because Yadav had already spent 7 months in jail as an undertrial following his arrest in July 2008, the court said those 7 months would count toward the 3-month sentence. A co-accused, who was booked for receiving the stolen property, was acquitted for lack of evidence.

On July 1, 2008, Purshottam Mandhana, director of textile firm Mandhana Industries Ltd, had withdrawn Rs 20.25 lakh to distribute wages at the company’s Vikhroli unit. Since heavy rains halted operations, the cash was brought back to the company’s Parel office.

Investigators tracked Yadav and seized Rs 5.65 lakh hidden inside a steel container in his kitchen. (Image generated using AI)

Accompanied by two security guards, Mandhana’s brother placed the cash bag inside his car. As the guards briefly stepped toward the lift, Yadav — who had been employed as the driver — took the cash and fled.

An FIR was registered at Bhoiwada police station, and a parallel probe by the Mumbai Police Crime Branch (DCB CID Unit-4) was launched.

Investigators tracked Yadav and seized Rs 5.65 lakh hidden inside a steel container in his kitchen.

Holding Yadav guilty of theft, the court observed that the discovery of unaccounted cash from his residence conclusively established the crime. ACJM Khedekar noted that awarding punishment was necessary to send a message to society against breach of trust by employees.

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“The accused had committed breach of trust and stolen huge amount and considering the nature of offence awarding reasonable punishment for deterring such kind of mind people to avoid further incident and giving message in the society that the act of commission of theft and breach of trust would result in punishment,” the additional chief judicial magistrate D S Khedekar said in the order on Monday.