Student stole family jewellery worth ₹15 lakh to repay ₹1,500:Relative traps minor in debt, demands huge interest

In a shocking case of alleged blackmail and extortion, a Class 12 student allegedly stole gold jewellery worth nearly ₹15 lakh from his home and his father’s shop over the past year after being trapped in a debt spiral of ₹1,500 in Gwalior’s Murar area. According to police, the accused, a minor and a distant relative of the victim, allegedly lured the 17-year-old into a debt trap after lending him ₹1,500. The accused later demanded repayment with a 50% monthly interest rate and allegedly used a video of the student to threaten him with jail and public humiliation. A case was registered on Tuesday following a complaint by the victim’s father. Father discovers missing jewellery after returning from Indore Police said complainant Kamal Kishore Gupta, a grocery businessman and resident of Meera Nagar, had travelled to Indore on June 29 regarding his daughter’s job. His wife and 17-year-old son remained at home. After returning on July 2, Gupta inspected his house and shop and found nearly 10 tolas of gold jewellery missing. The stolen valuables included two necklaces, two chains, bangles, earrings and other ornaments. Some of the jewellery had been pledged by customers. ₹1,500 loan slowly turned into mounting debt When questioned about the missing jewellery, the student broke down and revealed the entire incident. He told his father that around a year ago, he had borrowed ₹1,500 from his minor relative through the latter’s friend, Kapil. The accused allegedly imposed a 50% monthly interest on the loan and kept adding interest and penalties, eventually claiming that the amount had grown to several thousand rupees. Video used to threaten student The student alleged that the accused had recorded a video of him while handing over the money. He later used the video to blackmail the teenager, allegedly threatening to file a police complaint, implicate him in a theft case, send him to jail and reveal his private matters to his family if he failed to repay the money. Fearing the threats, the student allegedly continued handing over gold jewellery from his home and his father’s shop in small quantities over the past year. Jewellery allegedly taken from home and shop locker According to the family, the accused also pressured the student into breaking open the cash box at his father’s shop. The student allegedly removed two gold necklaces, two chains, earrings, gold hoops and four bangles weighing around 10 tolas and handed them over to the accused. The businessman alleged that another youth was also involved in the conspiracy and used to threaten his son over phone calls. Police register case, accused absconding Following the complaint, Murar police registered a case against the minor accused on charges of cheating, blackmail, criminal intimidation and misappropriation of gold jewellery. Station House Officer Maina Patel said the accused has absconded after the complaint was filed. Police, with the help of the cyber cell, are tracking his mobile phone and location. Efforts are underway to take him into custody and recover the stolen jewellery.