https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=1987_Opera_House_heist1987 Opera House heist - Revision history2026-07-30T14:04:15ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=1987_Opera_House_heist&diff=481969&oldid=prevJuanita09O at 16:35, 22 September 20252025-09-22T16:35:47Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Theft of jewels in Bombay, India}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2018}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}<br />
{{Infobox news event<br />
| title = 1987 Opera House heist<br />
| image =<br />
| image_size = <br />
| caption = <br />
| date = {{start date|df=yes|1987|03|19}}<br />
| time = 2:15 pm [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]<br />
| place = [[Tribhovandas Bhimji Zaveri]] & Sons Jewellers, [[Royal Opera House (Mumbai)|Opera House]], [[Bombay]], India<br />
| coordinates = {{Coord|18|55|30|N|72|49|11|E|display=inline,title}}<br />
| also known as = TBZ Opera House robbery<br />
| participants = <br />
| outcome = Jewellery and cash worth {{INR}} 2.3 to 3.5 million stolen<br />
| reported injuries = <br />
| reported death(s) = <br />
| reported property damage = <br />
| burial = <br />
| inquiries = <br />
| inquest = <br />
| coroner = <br />
| verdict = <br />
| charges = <br />
| convictions = <br />
| publication bans = <br />
| litigation = <br />
| notes = <br />
}}<br />
<br />
On 19 March 1987, a group posing<br />
as [[Central Bureau of Investigation]] officers executed a fake raid on the [[Royal Opera House (Mumbai)|Opera House]] branch of [[Tribhovandas Bhimji Zaveri]] & Sons Jewellers in [[Mumbai|Bombay]] (present-day Mumbai), [[Maharashtra]], India. The raid was led by an unknown man who had assembled the group by inviting the candidates for fake recruitment interview. The unknown man disappeared with the spoils of the raid. The case remains unsolved.<br />
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== Heist ==<br />
<br />
The person posing as Mon Singh<ref name=md>{{cite news|title=2017 theft, police still in the dark:Goss from Mumbai's underbelly|url=http://archive.mid-day.com/news/2010/may/090510-tribhuvandas-bhimji-zaveri-robbery-1987-police-still-clueless.htm|date=9 May 2010|place=Mumbai|work=Midday|accessdate=4 February 2014|archive-date=23 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140323232023/http://archive.mid-day.com/news/2010/may/090510-tribhuvandas-bhimji-zaveri-robbery-1987-police-still-clueless.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> or Mohan Singh<ref name=et>{{Cite news |last=Doctor |first=Vikram |title=Story of unsolved opera house burglary in Mumbai, Rs 30-L heist amused everyone by its slick execution |work=The Economic Times |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/story-of-unsolved-opera-house-burglary-in-mumbai-rs-30-l-heist-amused-everyone-by-its-slick-execution/articleshow/18619056.cms |access-date=2023-01-22}}</ref> had placed a classified advertisement in the 17 March 1987 issue of ''[[The Times of India]]'', asking for "Dynamic Graduates for Intelligence Officers Post and Security Officers Post". Applicants were told to report to the hotel [[The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel|Taj Intercontinental]] between 10 am and 5 pm the next day. He rented an office at Mittal Towers in [[Nariman Point]] to interview the candidates. Singh selected at least 26 candidates and asked them to report to the Taj the following day and were briefed about the 'mock raid' by Singh.<ref name=md/><ref name=et/><ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
On 19 March, they arrived at the Opera House branch of Tribhovandas Bhimji Zaveri & Sons Jewellers around 2:15 pm. Singh introduced himself to the owner, Pratap Zaveri, and produced a '[[search warrant]]'. He ordered the owners to turn off [[CCTV]] cameras and surrender a licensed revolver held on the premises. Singh and the fake contingent of [[Central Bureau of Investigation]] (CBI) officers did not allow any phone calls and took samples of ornaments for assessment of the quality of the gold. Singh picked 'samples' of jewellery and had them sealed in polybags. Cash was also collected. After 45 minutes Singh asked two men to put the briefcases in the bus. He asked others to keep watch on the shop and left in the bus to 'supervise' another raid. After about an hour, the owners called the [[Mumbai Police|Bombay Police]].<ref name=md/><ref name=et/><ref name=":0" /><br />
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== Investigation ==<br />
Police investigation revealed that Singh booked room number 415 at the Taj on 17 March and he put an advertisement in the newspaper. Police found that he reached the hotel after leaving the jewellery shop and hired a taxi from there. The taxi dropped him at [[Vile Parle]] where he hired an auto.<ref name=md/><ref name=et/><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Swami |first=Parthasarathi |date=1987-04-15 |title=Conman in CBI garb loots Bombay's leading jewellers Tribhovandas Bhimji Zaveri |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/crime-stories/story/19870415-conman-in-cbi-garb-loots-bombays-leading-jewellers-tribhovandas-bhimji-zaveri-798743-1987-04-14 |access-date=2023-01-22 |website=India Today |language=}}</ref> He was last seen there and there was no trail. The police put out a nationwide alert. They sent a team to [[Kerala]] as his hotel record showed that he hailed from [[Trivandrum]]. A person named George Augustine Fernandes was arrested there but it was later found that he was not involved. They also sent a team to [[Dubai]] but no headway was reported.<ref name=et/><br />
<br />
According to 1987 report, the cash of {{INRconvert|3.75|l}} and the jewellery worth about {{INRconvert|20|l}} was looted.<ref name=":0" /> Other reports place the heist amount ranging from {{INR|30 lakh}} to {{INRConvert|35|l|year=1987}}. The case has remained unsolved.<ref name="md" /><ref name="et" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Mumbai cops still clueless about a 1987 theft |url=https://www.ndtv.com/cities/mumbai-cops-still-clueless-about-a-1987-theft-417485 |access-date=2023-01-22 |website=NDTV.com}}</ref><br />
<br />
A year before, in October 1986, a similar advertisement was published in ''The Times of India'' and about 150 candidates had appeared at the hotel Taj for interview''.'' The CBI had received the tip but the interviewer did not appear. The event was considered as a "dress rehearsal".<ref name=":0" /><br />
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== Popular culture ==<br />
* ''[[Kalikkalam]]'' - A 1990 Malayalam film that had an inspired heist sequence in a jewellery store introducing the lead character played by [[Mammootty]] .<br />
* ''[[Khel (film)|Khel]]'' - A 1992 Hindi film had a small heist sequence inspired by this incident.<br />
*<br />
* ''[[Special 26]]'' - A 2013 Hindi film, directed by [[Neeraj Pandey]], is based on the heist. It was remade in 2018 [[Tamil language|Tamil]] film ''[[Thaanaa Serndha Koottam]]''.<ref name=et/><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.financialexpress.com/entertainment/thaana-serntha-kootam-box-office-collection-day-1-suriya-starrer-takes-an-impressive-start-earns-this-much/1013180/|title=Thaana Serntha Kootam box office collection day 1: Suriya starrer takes an impressive start, earns this much|date=13 January 2018|work=The Financial Express|access-date=16 January 2018|language=en-US}}</ref><br />
* ''The Sialkot Saga'' - A book by [[Ashwin Sanghi]] has referenced the heist.<ref name="ashwinsanghi">{{cite book|last=Sanghi|first=Ashwin|date=2016|title=The Sailkot Saga|publisher=Westland Ltd.|isbn=978-93-86036|author-link=Ashwin Sanghi}}</ref><br />
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== References ==<br />
<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:1987 crimes in India]]<br />
[[Category:Crime in Mumbai]]<br />
[[Category:History of Mumbai (1947–present)]]<br />
[[Category:Robberies in India]]<br />
[[Category:Unsolved crimes in India]]<br />
[[Category:1980s in Mumbai]]</div>Juanita09O