Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Oct 30: In a shocking turn of events, a woman who had been treated like a daughter by her employer and even named in her will for property worth Rs 5 crore has now landed in jail for stealing gold and silver ornaments from the same household to support her online betting addiction.
According to reports, Mangala, who had been working as a caretaker for Asha Jadhav, a 58-year-old woman from JP Nagar, was arrested by the JP Nagar police after being found guilty of theft.
About 15 years ago, Mangala joined Asha Jadhav’s household as a domestic help. Over the years, she became more like a family member, especially after Asha’s aged mother became bedridden. Mangala cared for her devotedly, earning Asha’s complete trust.
Having no husband or children, Asha, who owned property worth several crores in JP Nagar, had even willed a Rs 5 crore house in Mangala’s name as a token of gratitude for her loyalty and service.
However, the trust was misplaced. Police said Mangala had become addicted to online betting and often spent her time at parties and pubs with her boyfriends. To support her gambling and lavish lifestyle, she borrowed large sums of money and accumulated debts amounting to several lacs.
At one point, Asha even helped clear loans of Rs 40 lac that Mangala had taken. Earlier, she had also transferred ownership of another house worth Rs 1.5 crore to Mangala, which the latter later sold and lost in betting. Despite this, Asha continued to keep her at home, believing in her innocence and loyalty.
Unable to control her addiction, Mangala allegedly used the original key of Asha’s locker to steal 450 grams of gold and 3 kg of silver. She later threw the key away in a deserted spot to cover her tracks and claimed it was lost.
The theft came to light during Diwali, when Asha had duplicate keys made to access the locker to retrieve jewellery. On discovering the missing ornaments, she lodged a complaint assuming unknown miscreants were responsible.
However, police grew suspicious of Mangala and questioned her. Initially defended by Asha, who refused to believe she was guilty, Mangala eventually confessed to the crime during interrogation.
Mangala was arrested and sent to Parappana Agrahara Central Jail. Following the revelation, Asha Jadhav withdrew the will that had earlier named Mangala as the heir to her Rs 5 crore property.
What began as a bond of trust and affection between a woman and her caretaker has now ended in betrayal, theft, and imprisonment — a cautionary tale about misplaced trust and the ruinous lure of online betting.