'Gold thieves' sent to judicial custody
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 25 2025: The Chief Judicial Magistrate Imphal West has rejected bail applications of two persons, accused of stealing jewellery and sent them to judicial custody till September 8.The accused, Dhamendra Kumar Soni (47) and Shanker Soni (50) had allegedly stolen gold jewellery of an aged woman from Sega Toad Takhellambam Leikai on August 13 on the pretext of cleaning gold items.

They were arrested by the police on August 20 .

Dhamendra Kumar Soni hails from Ekdara, Bihar.

Shanker Soni hails from Ghorapir Lake Garden West Bengal.

They were staying at Hatta Golapati, Imphal.

In the Court of the CJM today, the prosecutor submitted that the two accused persons visited the residence of the woman on August 13 and claimed they could clean copper, silver and gold items.

The woman produced gold jewellery worth lakhs of rupee and the two pretended to clean the ornaments for about 30 minutes.

After the pretend cleaning was done, the two accused handed the gold jewellery in a plastic packet and instructed the women to keep it for 30 minutes before wearing it.

However when the woman finally checked the jewellery after 30 minutes, she noticed the jewellery getting dissolved.

Upon weighing, she found her gold jewellery had shrunk in size and weight drastically, said the prosecutor.

During interrogation, accused Dhamendra Kumar Soni disclosed he had come to Imphal to earn money for dowry for his daughter.

He reached Imphal on July 29 and stayed with his relative and co-accused, Shanker Soni at Hatta Golapati.

After tricking and looting the woman, the two went to Dimapur and sold the extracted gold at Rs 14,000 and returned to Imphal on August 16 .

The two deposited the same amount in the account of one Mahendra Sah from Bihar who is also staying at Hatta Golapati, said the prosecutor.

They intentionally committed the crime for their personal gain by taking the advantage of an innocent and aged citizen, said the prosecutor, asking for judicial custody of the two.

The CJM, after hearing the submission of APP rejected the bail applications and remanded the two accused persons to judicial custody till September 8 .

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