Mumbai: Real-life ‘Bunty aur Babli’ arrested by Khar police

A video grab of Milan stealing cash from the counter as Athulya distracts the salesgirl. PIC/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

A husband-wife duo from Kerala, dubbed the modern-day ‘Bunty and Babli', were arrested by Khar police for stealing Rs 53,500 from a cash counter at a clothing showroom in Khar West, under the pretext of shopping. The couple - Milan Vathiyat, 24 and Athulya Vathiyat, 21 - used a clever distraction tactic, with the woman engaging the salesgirl while the man stole the cash.

They were released from jail in September 2024 from Trivandrum City Police Station in Kerala and have since been on a crime spree across various cities," an officer privy to the investigation told mid-day, adding that the couple have a criminal history and are involved in theft cases across India.

The couple would target large retail stores, particularly clothing or general goods outlets, in metro cities. They would typically strike during store opening hours. Ahtulya would distract the staff by pretending to shop, while Milan slipped away to steal cash from the counter drawer. This precise and practised method helped them evade capture for a long time.

A video grab of Milan checking the cash he stole from the counter. PICS/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

"On May 1, they targeted a clothing showroom at Linking Road, Khar. They targeted the showroom shortly after it opened in the morning, when there is less staff, as it is easier for them to use distraction tactics to commit the offence," the officer said.

"They are so smart that they had been frequently changing their SIM cards and handsets every time they went to a new city, and travelled only by road in a hired taxi. To obtain new SIM cards, Athulya would sweet-talk the cab driver to get his Aadhaar card or other vital documents. They would use the SIM cards in the new city and destroy them before escaping," said the officer. According to another officer, the police checked the phones of the couple after they were arrested and found that they only had records for the past seven days.

How arrest was made

After registering an FIR on May 1, Senior PI Sanjeev Dhumal formed a team of officers, including PSI Hanmant Kumbhare, and constables Dinesh Shirke, Kundan Kadam, Mahesh Lahamge, Vishal Bhamre, Sumit Ahivale and Manoj Handage, to investigate the case. PI (Crime) Vaibhav Katkar was asked to monitor developments.

Milan Baiju Vathiyat and Athulya Milan Vathiyat

The team retrieved CCTV footage of the showroom and circulated photos of the couple in their network. "We alerted all shopping malls in Mumbai and adjacent districts as we learnt that the couple targets shopping malls and showrooms shortly after they are opened," said an officer. On Wednesday, the couple was seen at Oberoi Mall, Goregaon, from where people alerted us. "We rushed to the spot and arrested the duo."

Cases across India

"The couple has an extensive criminal record across India, and they have been using the same modus operandi of distraction tactics to steal cash from the counter of a shop or showroom. So far, we have learnt that around 50 cases are registered against them in all major cities of India," the officer said. The couple has confessed to committing similar thefts in multiple cities, including Delhi, Bhopal, Chennai, and Bengaluru.

Milan completed the Merchant Navy course while Athulya graduated in pharmacy. "But they have never worked in their respective fields. Instead, they went on a stealing spree across India. Since last September-October, they only lived in hotels and dined at restaurants in different cities." The duo was sent to police custody till May 10.