Rhea Kapoor's ₹1.35 crore diamond earrings stolen before Met Gala 2025
Synopsis
Earrings worth ₹1.35 crore — rented from two Mumbai jewellers for Rhea Kapoor's Met Gala appearance — vanished from her makeup artist's handbag somewhere between Mumbai airport and a New York hotel. Mumbai Police have filed an FIR but are yet to identify a suspect, with the entire international travel chain now under scrutiny.
Key Takeaways
Diamond earrings worth ₹1.35 crore rented for Rhea Kapoor 's Met Gala 2025 trip were reportedly stolen.
The jewellery — from Mehta Jewellers (₹66 lakh) and Goenka Jewellers (₹69 lakh) — was carried in makeup artist Savleen Singh 's handbag.
The team departed Mumbai on 27 April via an Emirates flight and arrived at JFK Airport on 28 April .
The theft was discovered at The Pierre Hotel , New York, when the jewellery boxes were found empty.
Sahar Police Station has registered an FIR under Section 303(2) of the BNS ; no arrest has been made.
Investigators are examining the full timeline from Mumbai airport to the New York hotel to establish where the theft occurred.
Diamond-studded earrings worth ₹1.35 crore, rented for filmmaker-stylist Rhea Kapoor's appearance at the Met Gala in New York, were reportedly stolen from the handbag of her makeup artist during travel in late April 2025. Mumbai's Sahar Police Station has registered a case against an unidentified person under Section 303(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and launched a formal investigation.
What Was Stolen
The missing jewellery comprised two pairs of high-value earrings rented from Mumbai-based jewellers specifically for the event. The first — emerald-stone diamond gold earrings from Mehta Jewellers — was valued at ₹66 lakh. The second — Zambian emerald-stone gold-bordered earrings from Goenka Jewellers — was priced at ₹69 lakh. Together, the two pieces totalled ₹1.35 crore.
The Timeline of Travel
Rhea Kapoor, sister of actor Sonam Kapoor, had been invited to attend the Met Gala on 29 April. Her team, including renowned makeup artist Savleen Singh — who has worked with Rhea for over seven years — departed Mumbai on 27 April at 10:25 PM IST on an Emirates flight via Dubai. The group arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport on the evening of 28 April at approximately 5:30 PM local time and subsequently checked into The Pierre Hotel in New York.
It was only when Savleen Singh opened the jewellery boxes in her hotel room — intending to hand the earrings over to a team member named Shireen — that she discovered both boxes were empty. The theft was reported to authorities after the team returned to Mumbai.
FIR Registered, Investigation Underway
Savleen Singh filed a formal complaint at Sahar Police Station following her return to Mumbai, according to police officials. An FIR was subsequently registered under Section 303(2) of the BNS against an unknown person. Investigators are now reconstructing the full travel timeline — from Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport through the Emirates flight to New York — to determine precisely where the theft occurred.
According to police, the critical window spans three possible locations: the Mumbai airport before departure, the flight itself, or the hotel in New York. No arrest has been made so far.
Context and What Comes Next
The case highlights the risks associated with transporting high-value rented jewellery across international borders without dedicated security arrangements. Notably, the earrings were carried in a personal handbag rather than under formal secure custody. Mumbai Police is reportedly examining CCTV footage and coordinating with relevant stakeholders to narrow down the timeline. The investigation remains open, with the identity of the suspect yet to be established.
Point of View
Without formal secure custody or insurance documentation that would have expedited the investigation? High-value jewellery loans for red-carpet events are common in Bollywood circles, but security protocols clearly have not kept pace with the sums involved. The cross-jurisdictional nature of the theft — spanning Mumbai airport, an Emirates flight, and a New York hotel — will make this a complex investigation, and the absence of any named suspect weeks after the incident suggests the trail is already cooling.
NationPress
20 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Whose earrings were stolen and what were they worth?
The earrings belonged to filmmaker-stylist Rhea Kapoor — sister of actor Sonam Kapoor — and were valued at ₹1.35 crore in total. They had been rented from two Mumbai jewellers, Mehta Jewellers and Goenka Jewellers, specifically for Rhea's attendance at the Met Gala in New York.
Where and when was the theft discovered?
The theft was discovered on the evening of 28 April at The Pierre Hotel in New York, when makeup artist Savleen Singh opened the jewellery boxes to hand the earrings to a team member and found both boxes empty. The team had arrived at JFK Airport earlier that evening after flying via Dubai.
What action has Mumbai Police taken?
Mumbai's Sahar Police Station has registered an FIR under Section 303(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for theft, based on a complaint filed by Savleen Singh after the team returned to Mumbai. The case is registered against an unidentified person, and no arrest has been made.
Where do investigators believe the theft took place?
Police have not yet determined the exact location. Investigators are examining the full timeline spanning Mumbai's international airport, the Emirates flight via Dubai, and The Pierre Hotel in New York to establish where the earrings went missing.
Who is Savleen Singh and what is her connection to the case?
Savleen Singh is a well-known makeup artist who has worked with Rhea Kapoor for over seven years. She was carrying both jewellery boxes in her personal handbag during the journey and filed the formal police complaint after the theft was discovered.
