Mumbai, April 3: The crime branch team of Mumbai police recently arrested two people for allegedly duping a Gujarat-based diamond trader of Rs 1.18 crore. Police officials said that the two accused cheated the diamond trader by replacing real diamonds with sugar crystals on the pretext of buying them. After duping the trader, the accused field to Mumbai from Surat.

According to a report in the Hindustan Times, the duo was arrested from Mumbai's Kandivali and Lalbaug areas respectively. Later, the Mumbai crime branch team handed the accused to Gujarat police. The accused have been identified as Mukesh Babubhai Gopani (40) and Naresh Kababhai Sarvaiya (34), both residents of the city. Mumbai Shocker: Security Guard Rain Slaps on Cab Driver at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Video Goes Viral.

Police Checking Past Criminal Records of Accused

An officer said that both the accused are diamond brokers. The cops are also looking into past criminal records to ascertain if the accused committed a similar theft or not. Police also learned that in the past, Gopaini was arrested for a cheating case in Dubai. He was in jail for three years and returned to Mumbai three years ago.

The incident of theft took place on February 18 when the accused visited the diamond trader's office in Surat. The accused wanted to purchase diamonds. Cops said that the duo had visited the shop in the past too in order to make note of the complainant's showcase. They knew where the diamonds were kept and which paper was used to warp the gemstone. Mumbai Shocker: Man Randomly Dials Numbers, Sends Obscene Videos and Messages on WhatsApp to Over 100 Women; Arrested.

Accused Carried Sugar Crystals in Same Papers

A crime branch officer said that on February 18, the accused carried white sugar crystals which were wrapped in a paper of the same colour as that of the diamond trader. The two entered the shop while their accomplice kept a watch outside. When one of the accused was talking to the complainant, the other accused replaced real diamonds with sugar crystals.

After the incident, diamond trader Dharmesh Babubhai Pawashiya (31) lodged a case against the two accused. Surat police recently learned about the two accused hiding in Mumbai. Following this, the Gujarat police shared details with the Mumbai police, post which the two accused were arrested. The accused confessed to the crime and told cops that they sold some diamonds and sent money to the main accused.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 03, 2023 07:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).