Woman, boyfriend arrested for robbing restaurant at knife point

MUMBAI: A 30-year-old woman and her boyfriend were arrested on Thursday for allegedly attacking and robbing the cash counter of a restaurant at knife point in Goregaon East. The accused are identified as Saraswati Pillai and her boyfriend Sohail Shaikh, 22.

According to the police, Pillai had recently been released from Byculla prison on bail after spending three years for a similar crime. Police officers said that on March 12, Pillai and her boyfriend had gone to a local eatery at Goregaon East and ordered lunch. While the staff was busy, Pillai and Shaikh grabbed ₹6,500 in cash from the cash counter. But the manager caught them and asked for the money back, warning them to call the police if they refused.

Police officials reported that the accused retrieved a knife and threatened the complainant. Pillai and Shaikh then took the cash and fled after attacking the complainant.

The manager subsequently filed a complaint with the police, leading to the registration of a case against the couple.

After going through CCTV footage of the restaurant and alerting their informers, the police identified Pillai through her previous records.

The police then tracked down the woman and her boyfriend and arrested both of them.

“Pillai has a past crime record and has over 10 robbery cases registered against her. She had used her ex-boyfriends in some of these cases for robbing auto drivers and restaurants in Mumbai and Mira Bhayander – Vasai Virar region,” said a police officer from Dindoshi police station.