Mumbai: A 42-year-old man from Odisha has been arrested in Mumbai for allegedly stealing dozens of gold and silver-plated horse racing trophies valued at approximately Rs 15.40 lakh from his employer’s upscale flat in Breach Candy.

The accused, identified as Rajendra Benudhara Jena, had been employed as a full-time domestic helper at Shiven Surendranath’s residence for the past five years. The 59-year-old advertising filmmaker and prominent figure in Mumbai’s horse racing circles, reported the theft earlier this month. He is the owner of Diamond Band Racing Syndicate Pvt Ltd and a member of the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC). He also owns several racehorses that compete at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse.

The stolen items were prestigious trophies accumulated over nearly two decades, dating back to 2006, including notable awards such as the Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy Trophy, Indian Derby (Gr.1) Trophy, Chief Minister’s Trophy, Mayor’s Trophy, and others earned through his racing successes.

A native of Shikharpur in Odisha, Jena had been living in the ground-floor 2BHK apartment in the Field Estate Compound, Breach Candy for the last six months and enjoyed unrestricted access to all rooms, including storage areas where the trophies were displayed in cabinets, drawers, and boxes.

The crime came to light when Jena abruptly left the residence around 2 am on November 23, 2025, citing a personal emergency and claiming he was heading to Kolkata for urgent work. When he failed to return and stopped responding to calls, Surendranath grew suspicious. On January 2, 2026, he conducted a thorough inventory of his valuables and discovered the trophies missing. He promptly approached the Gamdevi Police Station on January 4, where a case was registered under Section 306 (theft) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Police suspect that the thefts occurred gradually between 2023 and November 2025, allowing Jena to remove the items without immediate detection.

Acting on the complaint, police launched an investigation and traced Jena to his hometown in Odisha using details from his permanent address, with assistance from local authorities. Jena was arrested on Tuesday and was brought to Mumbai on transit remand for further questioning.

While efforts are underway to recover the stolen items, it is being suspected that he might have sold or melted down some of the trophies. “If the accused sold the trophies, it could be recovered,” a police officer said, highlighting the ongoing probe into potential black-market dealings.

(With inputs from Indian Express and Hindustan Times)