Rs 150cr theft case against bizman

MUMBAI: In a set back to industrialist Jai Shroff, Khar police on Friday registered a criminal case against him for allegedly stealing Rs 150 crore worth jewellery of his socialite wife Poonam Bhagat.
Bhagat, 48, sister of Sheetal Mafatlal, socialite wife of Atulya Mafatlal, had recently filed a private complaint with the Bandra magistrate court accusing Shroff, global head of United Phosphorous Ltd, of stealing her jewellery, including “antiques, priceless and irreplaceable sets”.
Based on orders of the Bandra magistrate, the police probed the case and lodged a case on Friday evening. The case against Shroff is of theft under Indian Penal Code section 379, which attracts a punishment of up to 3 years in jail, and an offence under IPC section 380, “theft in dwelling house”, which attracts a jail term of up to seven years, and also fine.
Both are involved in a divorce battle and an ugly marital fight. Shroff has filed a criminal complaint accusing her of attempting to poison him with the help of a Bengali baba.
Shroff who is abroad, sent a statement through his lawyer: “This (the case) is nothing but another pathetic attempt on her (Poonam’s) part, to further harass me, my family and my domestic staff with a false and a frivolous complaint, the apprehension of which was voiced out by me in my letter dated June 22 to the Khar Police Station, when she was instructed by the high court to visit my home for a limited period and collect her belongings.”