Mumbai Woman Books Diwali House Cleaning Service Via App, Gets Robbed Of Rs 4 Lakh Gold

A 55-year-old woman from Mumbai fell victim to a Diwali cleaning scam, losing gold jewellery valued at Rs 4 lakh.

She had arranged the cleaning service via a mobile app, which sent two individuals to her residence. During the cleaning, the pair allegedly stole the valuables.

This incident has raised concerns about the safety and reliability of hiring cleaning services through online platforms. Police have since arrested Arbaz Khan, 27, and detained two other suspects for questioning.

The incident

Leena Mhatre, a resident of the Rishikesh Society in Dahisar, Mumbai, booked the cleaning service on October 21 in preparation for Diwali.

She used the NoBroker app to arrange the service, and two people arrived at her home the following morning at 9 am. While the cleaning was underway, Mhatre later discovered her cupboard had been opened and her gold ornaments were missing.

Upon realising the theft after the cleaners had departed, Mhatre immediately contacted the police to report the incident. Authorities have since arrested Arbaz Khan, the primary suspect, aged 27.

After reviewing CCTV footage from the society, the police identified two other suspects, Santosh Omprakash Yadav and Sufiyan Nazeer Ahmad Soudar, who are currently being questioned.

Investigation and Regulations

The police are investigating whether NoBroker conducted background checks on the workers before assigning them, according to a Free Press Journal report.

Officer Sandip Gorde noted that regulations mandate police verification for all service staff, including cleaners, before assigning them to private homes.

"We are looking into whether NoBroker verified these employees before assigning them. The app has blocked their IDs since the incident," Gorde told Lokmat.

Despite the rising popularity of online cleaning services, there is a major lack of regulatory oversight in this sector. Many platforms market themselves as reliable and professional, yet few provide clear proof of thorough employee background checks.

This incident serves as a serious reminder for consumers to exercise caution when hiring services through digital platforms, particularly in the absence of stringent regulatory measures.