Kolkata man held for trying to cheat jeweller

Two days after two men cheated Tribhuvandas Bhimji Zaveri and Sons (TBZ) of Rs 3 lakh by exchanging gold-plated jewellery for gold ornaments, one of their aides was caught using the same modus operandi.

Once bitten, twice shy.

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Two days after two men cheated Tribhuvandas Bhimji Zaveri and Sons (TBZ) of Rs 3 lakh by exchanging gold-plated jewellery for gold ornaments, one of their aides was caught using the same modus operandi.

The DB Marg police arrested Shafir Salamat Khan (38), a resident of Kolkata, on Sunday on charges of forgery and cheating.

On January 8, two unidentified men went to the showroom located at Opera House and asked the manager to exchange their old jewellery — they were gold-plated jewellery with just 8 per cent of the yellow metal — for new ornaments.

Sub-Inspector M. Sawant, of the DB Marg police station, said: “The jewellery looked real and when the owner rubbed them against a stone, the colour did not come off. The staff realised that they had been cheated after the mjen had left with gold jewellery worth Rs 3 lakh,” said Sub-Inspector M. Sawant, of the DB Marg police station.

Lucky the first time, the accused tried to use the same technique at the same showroom after two days.

On Sunday, the police said, Khan went to the showroom and told the manager, Hamrut Haming (31), that he wanted to exchange his old jewellery — gold-plated ornaments with 20 per cent of the yellow metal, for new ones.

Haming grew suspicious and gave them to the showroom owner, Jaypal Pratap Zaveri. Zaveri took no chances and sent the ornaments for testing.

“Zaveri kept Khan busy for two hours till the tests proved that the jewellery was gold-plated. Haming then called the police,” said Sawant.

Khan, who hails from Kolkata, was staying at Apsara guesthouse in Nagpada.

“We have arrested Khan on charges of cheating and forgery and are trying to trace the other two men,” added Sawant.