Caretaker betrays trust, steals gold and silver worth lakhs from woman who treated her like a daughter

Bengaluru: In a shocking case of betrayal, a woman who was treated like a daughter by her employer has been arrested for stealing gold and silver ornaments worth lakhs. The accused, identified as Mangala (32), was arrested by the JP Nagar Police for allegedly committing theft to fund her online betting and party lifestyle.

According to police, Asha Jadhav (58), a resident of JP Nagar 2nd Phase, had employed Mangala as a caretaker 15 years ago to look after her ailing mother. Impressed by Mangala’s service, Asha treated her as her own daughter, even gifting her property worth over ₹1.5 crore and celebrating her birthdays abroad.

Police said Asha, who had no children and whose husband had passed away, had immense trust in Mangala. “She not only paid off Mangala’s ₹40 lakh debts but also transferred ownership of a ₹5 crore house in her name,” officials said.

However, Mangala reportedly fell deep into online betting and a lavish party lifestyle with her boyfriend. After losing the house she sold, she allegedly began stealing valuables from Asha’s home. Police revealed that Mangala stole 450 grams of gold and 3 kg of silver from a locker in Asha’s house.

During the recent Deepavali festival, Asha opened her locker using a duplicate key and found the valuables missing. Initially believing the key was misplaced, she later filed a complaint with JP Nagar police.

Investigators soon grew suspicious of Mangala, though Asha initially refused to believe her “daughter-like” caretaker could be guilty. “Asha told us not to suspect her, but technical evidence proved Mangala’s involvement,” police said.

Upon interrogation, Mangala confessed to the theft. Police have recovered the stolen ornaments and produced her before court, where she has been remanded to judicial custody.

A senior police officer said, “This case is a painful reminder of how blind trust can be exploited. Despite being treated as family, the accused betrayed the one who gave her everything.”