Seven held for robbing jewelry worth Rs 35 lakh in April

Seven persons, including dreaded criminal Ayub Chikna (47), were arrested for allegedly robbing a jeweller of gold ornaments worth Rs 35 lakh in April, police said Monday. According to an official, jeweller Ashok Sakria (57) was attacked with a chopper by four persons near Chinchpokli railway station bridge on April 6 and then robbed of gold ornaments weighing 1.2 kilogrammes.

After a case was registered with Kalachowki police station, a probe was launched which led to the arrest of Mohammed Shahtaj Jamal Khan (37) and Maruti Sonawane (46), he said. Their interrogation revealed the robbers were part of history-sheeter Ayub Alimuddin Shaikh alias Ayub Chikna's gang, he said, adding that Chikna's involvement in the crime was also found. Chikna was held from his home in the northern suburb of Dahisar, he said. Chikna has at least 37 cases of robbery and theft against him and was once also arrested under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

Besides Mumbai and neighbouring cities, Chikna is involved in robbery cases in Gujarat, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, he said. Six months ago, he was released on bail and had again started committing robberies along with his gang members, the official said. Two jewellers, who had bought stolen gold, and two others, have also been held in the April 6 case, he said, adding that 1175 grams of stolen property and three motorcycles were seized.

(With inputs from agencies.)