An investigation by the Belagavi police revealed that a jewellery shop owner who had claimed that his shop was burgled had committed the offence only to file a false complaint.

Investigators from the Khade Bazar Police arrested the complainant, Krishnanand Vishwanath Vernekar, for staging the midnight heist in V. P. Vernekar & Sons, a shop he owned.

He later complained that unidentified miscreants had forced open his door and run away with the loot. Police recovered valuables of around ₹65.95 lakh, including: Gold ornaments weighing 519.8 grams, valued at ₹62,60,990; Silver ornaments weighing 31 grams, valued at ₹6,000; Cash amounting to ₹2,83,010; The scooter used in the offence, valued at ₹45,000.

The earlier complaint included charges under Sections 331(4) and 305(A) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and initiated an investigation. The First Information is being modified to include the new offence of false claims and misleading the police.

During the course of the investigation, police found inconsistencies in the complainant’s version of events. Further interrogation led police to a scooter (KA-22/EW-4822), in which the alleged stolen property was allegedly concealed.

The case was investigated under the supervision of Khadebazar Police Inspector M. K. Dhamannavar. PSI S. R. Mutattatti, along with police personnel A.B. Shetty, Santosh Baragi, B. L. Sarvi, Channappa Teli, Aarti Heggannavar, Sunil Chavan, Sadashiva Halagimani, Prakash Madar, and teams from the Fingerprint Unit, Technical Section, and SOCO Section, were involved, said a release.