City-based jeweller duped of ₹3 crore gold by fake traders

A three-member gang posing as prospective wholesale buyers allegedly duped a jewellery firm and escaped with gold ornaments worth nearly ₹3 crore in Bengaluru’s Malleswaram area.

Based on a complaint filed by Mahendra Kumar D. Jain, sales manager of Mehta Gold Pvt. Ltd., the Malleswaram police have registered an FIR under Sections 305(a), 318(4) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against Paresh Soni, Chandrashekhar Rao and Shyam.

According to the complaint, Mahendra Kumar and another employee, Prakash, were instructed by their senior colleague on May 16 to carry around 3 kg of gold jewellery samples from the firm’s Nagarathpet outlet to the office of Maahi Enterprise, located on Sampige Road, Malleswaram.

The police said Paresh Soni had introduced himself as a Delhi-based wholesale gold trader interested in purchasing jewellery in bulk from the firm. The employees reached the office around 3.15 pm carrying various gold ornament designs in a bag.

At the office, Soni allegedly introduced two associates — Shyam and Chandrashekhar Rao. While Soni shortlisted the ornaments he liked, Shyam allegedly examined the jewellery using a machine and noted down the weight of the items.

In a carefully planned distraction, Soni allegedly handed over nearly 1.850 kg of gold ornaments to Chandrashekhar Rao, who was seated in an adjacent cabin, on the pretext of preparing a list and photographing the jewellery designs.

Investigators said Rao fled with the jewellery, while Shyam also escaped after telling the complainants that he would bring Rao back. The accused never returned.

The stolen jewellery, weighing around 1.850 kg, is estimated to be worth more than ₹3 crore. Police have launched a search to trace and arrest the accused.