Lucknow, Jan 3 (IANS): A trusted house help, who had been employed for eight years in the residence of a zonal engineer in the Irrigation Department here, has been arrested for theft involving Rs 35 lakhs in cash and a diamond.

The arrest of Anuradha (48) along with five accomplices, including her son-in-law Sumti Singh (27) and her son Abhay Singh (19), all hailing from Lakhimpur Kheri, led to the busting of the gang.

During the arrest, police recovered Rs 27 lakhs in cash.

Additionally, the gang had invested the remaining amount in the purchase of three iPhones and various gold and silver jewellery, all of which were seized, according to Syed Abbas Ali, ADCP, East.

The incident came to light when the victim reported the robbery at the Vibhuti Kahnd police station on December 25, 2023 detailing the events that transpired on the night of December 23.

An FIR was registered, revealing that the victim, an officer in the irrigation department posted at Jhansi division, often left his house unoccupied.

ADCP Ali explained: “Their house help Anuradha, who had been employed at the victim’s home for eight years, devised a plan to rob the house. She enlisted the help of her relatives from Lakhimpur, executing the robbery on the night of December 23.”

Following the filing of the FIR, a police team employed CCTV footage, surveillance, and manual inputs to identify the accused, leading to their subsequent arrests.