[MSN] Man held for stealing painting from sister

[Museum Security Network Mailing list]

    *Man held for stealing painting from sister *

/Rustom Mehta allegedly took the Rs 60-lakh Jehangir Sabavala painting 
from his sister’s residence /

*Express News Service* 
<http://www.expressindia.com/about/feedback.html?mailto=samar@expressindia.com> 


*Mumbai, April 23:* Rustom Mehta (57), a Pune based businessman was 
arrested by the Gamdevi police on Saturday for allegedly stealing a 
painting worth over Rs 60 lakh from his sister's residence at Kemps 
corner. The painting is by renowned artist Jehangir Sabavala.

“Mehta's sister Mehar Devis (50) is an acupuncturist residing at Raj 
Mahal building at Kemps Corner. Her husband and daughter live in Europe. 
Whenever Mehta is in town, he stays with his sister. On March 26, Devis 
lodged a complaint at the Gamdevi police station stating that her 
brother had stolen the Sabavala painting from her house. After 
conducting inquiries, we registered an offence of theft against Mehta on 
April 16,” said Police Inspector Shyam Parulekar of the Gamdevi police 
station, who is the investigating officer in the case.

According to the police, Mehta took the painting from his sister's house 
on March 3. He kept it at a friend's house before leaving on a business 
trip to Bangkok. In a note to his sister, he said he had taken the 
painting as their mother Tehami Mehta had left it to him in her will.

“The will was drafted in 1992, and it stated that the painting above the 
sideboard in the living room was to be given to Rustom Mehta. According 
to Devis, when their mother died in 1993, Mehta took the concerned 
painting, which was by another artist. A written agreement was also 
signed by the two siblings on this matter. The complainant later shifted 
the Sabavala painting from the verandah to the same spot above the 
sideboard,” said Parulekar.

A servant working at the Devis residence told the police that he saw 
Mehta remove the agreement signed by the two siblings from a rack near 
the sideboard. The Gamdevi police issued a lookout notice for Mehta to 
immigration authorities at Sahar airport and Mehta was arrested when he 
returned on Saturday. He was produced at the Girgaum Metropolitan 
Magistrates Court on Sunday and released on bail. The court has directed 
the police to keep the painting in its custody till the dispute is 
resolved.

When contacted, Mehta's lawyer Satish Maneshinde said, “ The matter did 
not require the police to issue a lookout notice as my client had 
assured them that he would submit the painting after his return. The 
ownership of the painting cannot be decided by the police as the will 
has not been probated yet. Also, my client has not signed any agreement 
regarding the painting.”

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