Nagpur: In a rare late-night judicial proceeding, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Pankaj Deshpande conducted a hearing at his Civil Lines residence in Nagpur on Monday midnight, granting Kalamna police permission to arrest two women involved in a staged robbery.
This marks the second instance in seven months where a court in Nagpur has opened past regular hours to allow the arrest of women. A similar late-night court order had permitted the arrest of Ritika Maloo in the high-profile Ram Jhula accident case last September.
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Wednesday 12 March 2025
The two women, accused of orchestrating a heist at their own residence in Dharmanagar, were taken to Mayo Hospital for a mandatory medical examination before being placed under arrest. The duo, along with a male accomplice, had allegedly plotted to steal valuables and ₹6 lakh in cash while misleading authorities by triggering a false robbery alarm.
Twist of deception: An inside job
What initially appeared to be a home invasion took a dramatic turn when police uncovered a case of betrayal and illicit romance. The 25-year-old woman, one of the alleged victims, had in fact conspired with her paramour, Anand Sahu, and another female accomplice to stage the crime. The trio, all residents of Chhattisgarh, intended to make off with the valuables and elope.
The incident unfolded over three hours early Monday, prompting swift action from Kalamna police, led by Senior Inspector Praveen Kale. Upon arriving at the scene, police found the woman and her mother-in-law tied up, with the younger woman claiming masked intruders had assaulted them before fleeing with the loot.
However, officers grew suspicious due to the absence of CCTV footage or any tangible evidence of a break-in. Under rigorous questioning at the Kalamna police station, the woman eventually broke down and confessed. She admitted to plotting the heist with Sahu, who was later apprehended along with his female accomplice. The stolen valuables were recovered within an hour of their arrest.
Legal hurdles and emergency court opening
As the investigation extended into the night, police faced a legal challenge — arresting a woman post-sunset without judicial sanction. With urgency mounting, Senior Inspector Kale sought special court approval to detain the two women. ACJM Deshpande, acknowledging the gravity of the case, granted permission at his residence just before midnight, paving the way for their formal arrest.
Police are now investigating whether the woman’s motive was to seize control of her mother-in-law’s assets or escape with Sahu. Sources suggest the pair had been romantically involved even before her marriage.
With the dramatic midnight hearing and swift police action, what started as a robbery alarm has unravelled into a tale of deceit, betrayal, and a botched escape plan.
