Manhunt for jeweller accused of defrauding fellow trader of ₹75 lakh

Manhunt underway for jeweller Nilesh Jain who allegedly fled after cheating another jeweller of ₹75 lakh. Jain had gained trust over the years by placing orders and making payments with pure gold. A complaint has been filed and an FIR registered. #Mumbai #JewellerFraud

Mumbai: A manhunt has been initiated for Nilesh Jain, a jeweller accused of fleeing after duping another jeweller of ₹75 lakh. Jain, who had been operating a jewellery shop in Kalbadevi, south Mumbai, for over a decade, regularly visited the victim’s unit to place orders for gold ornaments for his shop.

HT Image

Firoz Ali Shaukat Ali Shaikh, 43, the complainant and owner of a gold jewellery-making unit in Kalbadevi, South Mumbai, with over 20 employees, stated in his FIR that he had known Nilesh Jain for a decade. Jain, who owns a jewellery shop in Dhanji Street, LT Marg area, frequently visited Shaikh’s unit, placing orders for new designs of gold ornaments. Initially, Jain either paid for the orders or exchanged them with an equivalent amount of pure gold, establishing trust over the years.

About two months before the lockdown, Jain commissioned an order for gold ornaments totaling 1200 gram, providing pure gold of the same weight upon completion, said a police officer. As the lockdown ensued, Jain placed another order for 1655.3 gram of gold ornaments, and Shaikh requested pure gold in exchange.

Upon inquiry with individuals connected to Jain, Shaikh discovered that Jain had severed contact with everyone for the past six months. Subsequently, Shaikh lodged a written complaint with the LT Marg police station. After verifying the facts, the police registered an FIR 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.