Aishwarya Rajinikanth's domestic staff held for stealing gold, silver jewellery from Chennai home

Aishwarya Rajinikanth's maid and driver were arrested on Tuesday for stealing gold, silver and diamond jewellery. She had filed a police complaint on Monday.

The domestic help and driver of Aishwarya Rajinikanth were arrested for stealing gold, silver and diamond jewellery from her Chennai home, on Tuesday. A day before, Aishwarya had filed a police complaint stating gold and diamond jewellery worth ₹3.60 lakh was missing from her locker at home. She is the older daughter of Tamil actor Rajinikanth and his wife Latha Rajinikanth.

Aishwarya Rajinikanth was busy with the shoot of her latest film Lal Salaam when the theft occurred.

The filmmaker's maid Easwari took help of the driver Venkatesan to steal the items. According to a report by the Press Trust of India (PTI), Easwari stole around 100 sovereigns of gold jewellery, 30 grams of diamond jewellery and four kilograms of silver articles. She sold the items to buy a house and also purchase some other articles, a release from the police stated.

Easwari, had been working as a maid for 18 years and knew the ins and outs of Aishwarya's household. She stole the items by opening the locker multiple times, over several days. She also had access to the locker's key. The stolen items were seized from the maid's home, as were the documents related to the purchase of a house property by her.

According to the FIR she filed on Monday, Aishwarya had stated that she last wore the jewellery for her younger sister Soundarya’s wedding in 2019. Since then, it was kept in a locker which reportedly has been moved around from houses, including her ex-husband Dhanush’s apartment in 2021 and later to her father Rajinikanth’s residence. The keys to the locker remained in Aishwarya's flat. She was busy with the shoot of her latest film Lal Salaam when the theft occurred.

Teynampet Police had registered a case under Section 381 of the IPC. An India Today report further shared the jewellery pieces consisted of diamond sets, antique gold pieces, Navaratnam sets, bangles and nearly 60 sovereigns of gold worth ₹3.60 lakh. In her complaint, Aishwaryaa had put down her two domestic workers and driver as suspects.

Aishwarya and Dhanush announced their separation in January 2022. They have two children, sons Yatra and Linga. She made her directorial debut with the 2012 film 3 starring Dhanush and Shruti Haasan. Aishwaryaa is currently shooting her third film Lal Salaam after Vai Raja Vai (2015). The Tamil film, produced by Lyca Productions, stars actors Vishnu Vishal and Vikranth. Lal Salaam is said to have an extended cameo by her father Rajinikanth.