A jeweller from Ahmednagar was defrauded of around ₹79 lakh by a four-member gang who promised to sell pure gold below the market price in Mumbai's Zaveri Bazaar. The Lokmanya Tilak (LT) Marg Police have registered a case of fraud and embezzlement against the accused, identified as Amit Jain, Sumer Soni, and two others, who are currently absconding.
According to LT Marg Police, the complainant, Tushar Chandrakant Kapale, a resident of Ahmednagar, runs a gold trading business. His family owns the renowned Kapale Jewellers in Ahmednagar. Kapale often buys gold from Mumbai for his jewellery business. Recently, some of his friends introduced him to Amit Jain, a jeweller with a business named "Mahila Jewellers." Amit, who had a significant presence in the gold trade, convinced Kapale that he could procure pure gold through auctions at a price lower than the market rate. Trusting this offer, Kapale decided to strike a deal with Amit.
On September 25, Amit invited Kapale to the Chokshi Vimal Kumar & Co. shop in Zaveri Bazaar, where Kapale met another individual named Sumer Jain, introduced as Amit’s brother. Kapale then purchased half a kilo of pure gold from them for ₹37.76 lakh. After this transaction, Kapale’s trust in Amit deepened, prompting him to request more gold.
Although Amit didn’t have the required quantity of gold at the time, he promised to source it from another merchant. He asked for an advance payment, and between September 25 and 26, Kapale handed over ₹79.68 lakh in cash for one kilogram of pure gold. Amit and Sumer, along with two others, then suggested Kapale wait for them at a hotel, claiming they would return with the gold. However, after a long wait, neither Amit nor Sumer showed up, and both had switched off their mobile phones.
Sensing something was wrong, Kapale returned to Chokshi Vimal Kumar & Co., where he was informed that Amit was a known trader but had no other connections with the company. Realizing he had been scammed, Kapale approached the LT Marg Police and lodged a complaint.
After investigation, the police registered a case of fraud against Amit Jain, Sumer Soni, and the other two accomplices. All four accused are currently on the run, and the police are actively searching for them.