Designer flees with gold worth ₹3.73 crore from eight jewellers

Jewellery designer in Mumbai flees with 5192 grams of gold worth ₹3.73 crore from eight jewellers in Zaveri Bazaar. Police search for accused Chandrapal Yadav, 30.

MUMBAI: A jewellery designer from Zaveri Bazaar in Kalbadevi fled with 5192 grams of gold worth around ₹3.73 crore belonging to eight jewellers from the city. The police have registered a case against the accused, Chandrapal Yadav, 30, and are searching for him.

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The complainant, Kesarsingh Kharwad, 53, runs Amaj Jewellers in Malad, and his son has a shop called Shubham Jewellers in Zaveri Bazaar. Kharwad was introduced to Yadav, who runs a unit in Mirza Street, Zaveri Bazaar, by a jewellery designer. On several occasions, Yadav took gold from the complainant and would deliver the jewellery designed by him in 20-25 days.

From February 6, 2024, to March 26, 2024, Kharwad gave Yadav and his employee Dinesh around 2,800 grams of gold for designing antique jewellery pieces.

“The accused told the complainant that he would bring the jewellery in one go and took the gold. As the complainant had dealt with Yadav, he trusted him. When Khardwad called Yadav, he told him he had come to his native place due to urgent work and would return the jewellery in fifteen days. However, when the complainant tried his phone, he found it switched off,” said a police officer from LT Marg police station.

Kharwad then sent a man to check his shop but found it shut. He then learnt that the accused had taken jewellery from several other jewellers like Nakoda Jewellers, Darshan Gold, Swarn Sarita Jewels India Ltd, Pratap Jewels, Shilpi Jewels, Janice Jewels and Swarn Mudra Jewellers.

“From some, he had taken gold, and from others, he had taken jewellery to polish, and from he took broken jewellery to repair. He had taken 5,192.496 grams of gold and jewellery worth ₹3.73 crore and fled with it,” said the police officer.

“We suspect there might be more jewellers who will approach us. We are searching for him after registering the offence,” said the police officer.

The accused has been booked under sections 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant, or by banker, merchant or agent) and 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) of the Indian Penal Code.