Before filing FIR, 83-yr-old travelled 50 km from Bansdroni to Canning with confession plea
Times of India | 7 January 2026
Kolkata: Bakul Deb Chowdhury (83), a resident of Niva Park in Bansdroni, had informed her son and daughter-in-law, who are settled in London, in Dec that she was on an errand. She said she wanted to make her maid of two decades accept committing theft worth Rs 3.5 lakh at Chowdhury's Bansdroni residence sometime in Nov last year.
Accordingly, Chowdhury, who told TOI she barely steps out of her residence due to her advanced age, travelled from Bansdroni to Garia in an auto, boarded a local train all the way to Canning, and then hired an auto to reach the residence of her maid Hasi Mondal, located about 50 km away. She had hoped Mondal would accept the crime.
However, Mondal did not confess, and instead, sent Chowdhury back home. The octogenarian waited for a few more days, hoping Mondal would change her mind. When she didn't, Chowdhury was forced to report the theft to Bansdroni police. Cops have arrested Mondal and are questioning her to make recoveries.
"The accused maid is telling us that perhaps accepting the crime to Chowdhury and seeking repentance from her might have saved her from the police. We are now concentrating on the recoveries," an officer said.
Bakul filed a complaint alleging theft of cash and household items from her residence, naming her long-time domestic help as the suspect.
Chowdhury, in her complaint, said how Mondal had been with her for more than 20 years, and Chowdhury had repeatedly wanted to know Mondal's motive for this "sudden inclination to commit such a grave crime".
According to the written statement, Chowdhury claimed that Mondal left sometime on Nov 31, taking the original keys of the almirahs and leaving Chowdhury a duplicate. "I had difficulty believing Mondal could be involved and tried to contact her multiple times. But she never returned, forcing me to lodge an FIR on Jan 4," Chowdhury said.
In the complaint, the octogenarian claimed no one other than Mondal had visited the house during the relevant period. She also alleged that she was not aware that Mondal possessed or made a duplicate key.
A senior officer from Kolkata Police highlighted the need for vigilance at all times, even with those serving for a long time. "A few simple steps need to be followed to reduce the chances of becoming victims of such crimes. This includes locking the almirahs, getting the domestic help verified, and avoiding financial discussions in front of them," the officer said.