Dibakar Banerjee’s Byomkesh heroine accused of shoplifting in Singapore!

Swastika Mukherjee - who is making her Bollywood debut opposite Sushant Singh Rajput in Dibakar Banerjee’s Byomkesh Bakshi - has been accused of shoplifting.

The actress was caught by security cameras while tucking in a pair of gold earrings into her handbag at a reputed jewellery showroom in Singapore.

Swastika is in Singapore to attend the Bengali film festival, Darpan. The incident has left prominent members of the Bengali film industry red faced, most of whom are attending the festival there.

The theft was reported Saturday afternoon after the actress had gone shopping for jewellery along with her friend, Bengali film director Sumon Mukopadhyay.

The CCTV cameras caught her picking up a pair of gold earring, admiring it and suddenly putting it in her handbag. She didn’t pay for the earrings at the cash counter. Though Swastika claimed to have receipts for all her other purchases at the store, she hasn’t been able to produce a receipt for the gold earrings.

Singapore has very strict laws against shoplifting. If convicted, the actress faces more than 10 years in jail. Shoplifting an item worth less than $45 carries a term of three months in jail.

The owners of the jewellery show room have not yet reported the incident to the police but have officially informed the festival organisers because they had invited Swastika as a delegate.

Arindom Sil, one of the main organisers of the event, confirmed having received a complaint from the owners of the jewellery store.

Sources said that the actress has been asked to return to jewellery to avoid further harassment.

The owner of the shop has confirmed reporting about the incident to the media. Sources said that the owners of the jewellery store have threatened punitive and police action unless the gold earrings are returned immediately. 

“Our CCTV cameras have caught her holding the piece of jewellery and then putting it in her handbag. She hasn’t paid for it. We have already appealed to her to pay for the item. It costs $250. We are waiting for a response from her. We don’t want to make a hue and cry about about it but we want her to return our jewellery if she doesn’t wish to buy it,” said the owner of the jewellery store, Apsara Oswal.