21 February,2026 07:20 AM IST | Mumbai | Shirish Vaktania
Subhash Kumar Singh, the accused
What began as a routine hiring to help an elderly couple cope with health issues quickly spiralled into a costly betrayal in Santacruz West. Within days of joining their home, a 28-year-old domestic worker allegedly stole his 73-year-old employer's phone and credit card and used them to order nearly Rs 9.8 lakh worth of smartphones online. Police tracked the trail, laid a trap at the delivery point, and arrested him while he arrived to collect the goods, recovering the phones and restoring the money.
15
No. of smartphones ordered
Accused profile
Name: Subhash Kumar Singh
Age: 28
Job: Domestic servant
Joined household: About one week before incident
Police say he had recently been placed in the job through a service provider.
Location: Santacruz West
Police station: Santacruz police
Accused: Subhash Kumar Singh, 28
Victim: Ravi Mahavir Prakash, 73
Total fraudulent purchase: Approx R9.8 lakh
Items ordered: About 15 smartphones
Arrest: At delivery point in Sahar area
Rs 9.8L
Worth of smartphones ordered online
Dates: February 16-17
Police say the accused:
. Stole the victim's phone, credit card, and R4000 cash
. Left the house early morning on Feb 17
. Used the victim's phone to access OTPs and passwords
. Placed online orders for multiple high-end phones
. The victim and his wife had hired the accused through a domestic services company due to health concerns
Platform used: Flipkart
Total value of orders: About Rs 9.8 lakh
Devices ordered: Roughly 15 smartphones
Police said the accused used the victim's phone to authenticate payments through OTP verification
Police coordinated with Flipkart.
Outcome:
. Orders cancelled/returned
. Products taken back
. Full amount restored to victim's credit card
. Police monitored the delivery point
. Delivery agent arrived with parcels
. Accused appeared to collect them
. Police arrested him on the spot
. All phones seized immediately
