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Pune Crime Files: Who burgled and vandalised Sangeeta Bijlani’s bungalow? Mystery remains unsolved

Sandeep Singh Gill, Superintendent of Pune Rural Police, assured Sangeeta Bijlani that they would crack the case soon.

4 min readPuneUpdated: Sep 22, 2025 11:03 AM IST

Sangeeta Bijlani met Sandeep Singh Gill, Superintendent of Police, Pune Rural, last week. (Express Photo)

Months after her bungalow was vandalised and a few things were stolen, Bollywood actor Sangeeta Bijlani paid a “courtesy” visit last week to Sandeep Singh Gill, Superintendent (SP) of Pune Rural Police. Bijlani talked to Gill about the crime at her bungalow in Tikona Peth in the Maval taluka of the Pune district.

Besides stealing some valuables, the unidentified burglars vandalised the bungalow, and wrote abusive words on a sliding glass door with green spray paint a few months ago.

While no arrests have been made in the case yet, Gill assured Bijlani they would intensify the investigation and nab the burglars, said Mohammad Mujeeb Khan, 54, who lodged the First Information Report (FIR) regarding the theft at the Lonavala Rural Police Station on July 19, 2025.

When contacted, Khan said Bijlani met Gill on September 19 to “express her gratitude”, and timely assistance and support she received from the police. Khan said Gill assured Bijlani of solving the theft case. “During the meeting, she also sought guidance on obtaining a firearm licence”.

A bungalow ransacked

As stated in the FIR, Khan is the personal assistant (PA) of Bijlani’s ex-husband and former Indian cricket team captain Mohammad Azharuddin. According to the FIR, Azharuddin called Khan, a resident of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, at around 9.45 am on July 18, after he came to know about the theft from Bijlani.

Azharuddin asked Khan to visit the bungalow, speak to Bijlani, and file a complaint with the local police. Accordingly, Khan called Bijlani over the phone.

Over the call, the actor told Khan that when she came to her bungalow from Mumbai on the morning of July 18, its main door was open, which she had locked during her visit about four months ago. Bijlani said when she went inside, the furniture and other items in the main hall, kitchen, and all bedrooms in the bungalow were ransacked.

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The Pune Rural police said there were no security guards at the actor’s bungalow when the theft took place. (Express Photo)

Bijlani filmed the vandalised bungalow. An old television worth Rs 7,000 installed in the main hall and a cash worth Rs 50,000 kept in her father’s room were stolen, and another TV installed in her room was broken. As stated in the FIR, Bijlani also found abusive words written on a sliding glass door of the gallery on the first floor of the bungalow.

An ongoing probe

Khan reached the bungalow along with a police team around 7.30 pm on July 18. Meanwhile, Bijlani submitted a complaint to the SP, Pune Rural police. Subsequently, an FIR was lodged against the unidentified accused under sections 331 (3), 331(4), 305(a), 324(4), and 324(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

As per the FIR, the burglars entered the bungalow by breaking the wall compound mesh on the rear side. The police suspect that the burglars then broke into the bungalow by tampering with the window grills on the first floor.

The Pune Rural police said there was no watchman or security guard at the spot, and that CCTVs at the bungalow were also damaged. They said Bijlani came to the bungalow on March 7, and so the theft took place sometime between 4 pm on March 7 and 9.30 am on July 18.

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During the investigation, a forensic team found two suspicious fingerprints at the bungalow. “The fingerprints did not match any history sheeter on the police record. There was no CCTV footage of the accused. Investigation in this case is still on. The accused have not been identified yet,” Dinesh Tayade, Inspector, Lonavala Rural Police Station, said.

Chandan Haygunde

Chandan Haygunde is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With over 20 years of experience in journalism, he is one of the region's most authoritative voices on crime, national security, and legal affairs. Professional Profile Specialization: He specialises covering issues related to Crime, Courts, National Security and Human Rights. He has done investigative reporting on incidents of terrorism, left wing extremism, espionage cases, wildlife crimes, narcotics racket, cyber crimes and sensational murder cases in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. While working on the ‘Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Fellowship on Tigers, Tiger Habitats and Conservation’ in 2012, he reported extensively on the illegal activities in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. He is at the helm of the widely read weekly series “Pune Crime Files”. He is widely recognized for his deep-dive coverage of the cases related to the Koregaon Bhima violence in Pune and the Elgaar Parishad investigation. Key Beats: His portfolio includes covering crimes mainly under the jurisdiction of Pune City, Pune rural and Pimpri Chinchwad Police, along with the sensitive cases from the state, being investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Background: Before his long tenure at The Indian Express, he worked with other Marathi and English publications, giving him a unique grassroots understanding of Maharashtra's socio-political landscape. Awards and Recognition: He got the CMS PANOS Young Environment Journalist Award in January 2014 for investigative reports on illegal activities in Sahyadri Tiger Rerserve. He received the award for outstanding investigative journalism by the Lokmat group in Pune in January 2020, “Missing since 2010, Pune youth a ‘Maoist Commander’ in Chhattisgarh”, which appeared on July 9, 2019. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) In recent months, Chandan’s reporting has focused on high-profile terror case investigations, inter-state firearms racket, leopard movements in Pune city, cyber scams and hearings of the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry. 1. High-Profile crimes and terrorism cases “Techie linked to Al-Qaeda preached democracy is against Shariat” (Nov 17, 2025). Reporting on the ongoing investigation into the arrest of IT professional Zubair Hangargekar (37) from Pune for alleged terror links. “The case against Jyoti Jagtap, member of ‘Maoist front’ Kabir Kala Manch and Elgaar Parishad organiser, granted interim bail by apex court” (Nov 20, 2025) Tracking the updates in the high profile Elgaar Parishad case related to the alleged naxal activities in urban areas. “How NIA arrested doctor turned ‘ISIS recruiter’ in Maharashtra terror module case” (Nov 24, 2025) After the arrest of doctors in Delhi Red Fort blast, a report on alleged terror links of a consulting anaesthetist from a Pune hospital. “A year after loco pilot averts tragedy by spotting gas cylinder on railway track, probe still inconclusive” (Dec 8, 2025). Report on the unsolved case of a suspected sabotage incident, which could have derailed a train. “No records of Sambhaji Maharaj’s cremation available: Author, ex-IAS officer Vishwas Patil tells Koregaon Bhima panel” (Dec 1, 2025) Reporting on a sensitive issue related to the Koregaon Bhima violence. 2. Inter-state firearms racket "Pune police swoop down on ‘village of pistols’ in Madhya Pradesh; 36 detained, 50 kilns destroyed" (Nov 22, 2025) "Recce a week before, microplanning: how Pune police raided ‘village of pistols’ in MP" (Nov 24, 2025) Reporting on the illegal gun manufacturing units in Umarti village, Madhya Pradesh 3. Cybercrime & Financial Scams “Pimpri Chinchwad police arrest ‘bank account supplier’ with links to China, nationwide cyber scams" (Nov 27, 2025) An investigative look at the modus opernadi of international cyber-gangs cheating high-earning professionals across the country ‘Your case linked to Pahalgam terrorist’: Pune businessman loses Rs 1.44 crore to fraudster posing as NIA chief" (Oct 18, 2025) Report on the tricks played on cyber scammers cheating people through digital arrest frauds Signature Style: The Investigative Hit Chandan is known for his ability to cultivate deep-cover sources within the police and intelligence agencies. His writing often goes beyond the "police version" of events, providing historical context and identifying systemic lapses. He is particularly respected for his balanced reporting on sensitive communal issues and his persistent tracking of the Maoist urban-link cases, making his columns essential reading for legal experts and policymakers. X (Twitter): @chandan_pune ... Read More

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