The Thief who Pays Taxes

Pune’s Madhu Prabhakar loves his job. And why not? Just look at his lifestyle

Pune’s Madhu Prabhakar loves his job. And why not? Just look at his lifestyle

Madhukar Manohar Prabhakar is in po­lice custody for attempting to rob a flat in Girgaum, Mumbai. But he has a team of lawyers whom he pays a retainer to get him out of trouble. So, he ex­pects to get bail soon and re­turn to his enviable lifestyle.

‘Madhu Seth’, in his mid-50s, is not an ordinary thief. He wears expensive Safari suits, drives luxury cars, eats in fancy restaurants and drinks Scotch. He boasts to the police about owning three bungalows and nine flats in Pune. He owns a restaurant and has built a Ganesh temple that has become a revenue earner and is considered by many as a place where wishes are granted. His monthly income, he claims, is Rs 10 lakh. He has even contest­ed the Pune Municipal Corporation elections as an independent candidate. He even pays taxes.

Prabhakar is originally from Karnataka and lives in Pune. But he operates in Mumbai. He began his 39-year-old career solo, robbing houses in Pune. After contesting the Pune civic polls nearly 15 years ago, though, he took his business outside the city. He has over 250 cases registered against him in Pune and Mumbai.

Prabhakar suffered a setback on 14 May, when the Mumbai Police arrested him. But he did not lose his swagger. The police were amazed to hear about his wealth and modus operandi. He comes to Mumbai and roams the city at night, looking for housing societies that do not have security guards and houses whose residents seem to be away. According to sources in the Pune Crime Branch, Prabhakar only robs houses with at least Rs 1 lakh worth of cash or valuables. He strikes at midnight and drives off to Pune in the morning.

Before every break-in, he calls up his wife and lawyers. They prepare the documents needed for bail. “He commits crimes out of habit,” says Milind Kate, sub-inspector, VP Road Police Station. Prabhakar told the police that he firmly believes in the maxim, ‘Once a thief, always a thief’.

About The Author

Haima Deshpande