Importer robbed

MUMBAI, Sept 4: Five unidentified men barged into the Kalbadevi office of an importer and after tying the owner and his clerk, made off with valuables worth more than Rs 50,000.

At around 6 pm, when Shailesh Adhokia had left his Kalbadevi office on the first floor of Swadeshi Market and went to his godown with two of his workers to make a delivery of metallic buckles and other accessories, five men armed with choppers, revolvers and knives walked into his office. At the time, Shailesh8217;s father, 58-year-old Vijay Adhokia, was in the office along with his accountant, Bansilal Somani. 8220;They opened the safe and removed Rs 50,000 in cash and on whatever valuables they could lay their hands including my son8217;s mobile and my watch,8221;said Vijay.

They then tied Adhokia senior and Somani8217;s hands and sealed their mouths with adhesive tapes. Even as the robbers were looting the office when they heard somebody calling from outside and knocking the office door.It was Shailesh who had returned at 6.20 pm. When repeatedknocks and shouting did not yield any result, Shailesh sensed some trouble. Then suddenly the door was opened and Shailesh was dragged in.The robbers then ran out. Since Vijay8217;s shouts were heard by the tailors at the ground floor. They pitched in and gave robbers a chase. However, in the melee, the robbers managed to escape. The L T Marg police rushed to the Adhokia8217;s office and took the statements of father and son.