Panjim: The Panjim police has cracked the theft case reported in the District and Sessions Court, Altinho-Panjim, by arresting a lawyer from Valpoi on Thursday. Panjim police arrested Mujahid Shaikh, a resident of Muslimwaddo, Valpoi, a lawyer by profession for allegedly committing the theft. A complaint was registered after Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Judge Ram Prabhudessai stating that their evidence room was burgled by some unidentified person/s.

 

According to the police, Shaikh has confessed to stealing gold and cash from the evidence room of the District and Sessions Court building on January 31. North Goa SP Nidhin Valsan said that the accused had planned to purchase a property and a vehicle from the stolen booty.

 

Explaining the modus operandi of the accused, Valsan said that Shaikh did a recce of the court premises for four consecutive days. On the day of committing the crime, he visited the court premises at 5 pm and hid himself in the court toilet. After everyone left the premises, he stole the gold and cash, which was kept in the evidence room as a case property. He walked out at around 9.30 pm by opening the back door, which was bolted from inside. He was captured on CCTV camera outside the court premises, leading to his arrest, the police said.

 

Valsan informed that the accused, who was a practicing lawyer in Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka, was involved in two more cases – rioting and fatal accident. When asked about the value of the stolen property, the police said that they are in the process of evaluating the same.