Diamond broker held for decamping with Rs 7.86-cr precious stones in Guj

A diamond broker was arrested for allegedly decamping with precious stones worth Rs 7.86 crore collected from different traders in Gujarat's Surat city, police said on Sunday.

The accused had procured the diamonds from 32 different traders based in the city on the pretext of getting better rates and later absconded with them, an official from Varachha police station said.

The man left his mobile phone with his sister-in-law and asked her to format it and destroy the SIM, he said.

"An FIR was registered under sections 406 (criminal breach of trust) and other relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code," the official said.

The police kept a watch on the house of the accused man's relative in Surendranagar and arrested him, he said.

The police recovered the stolen diamonds and jewellery worth Rs 2.9 lakh from his possession, the official said.

The accused claimed that he was fed up with the diamond business, which his father had handed over to him and wanted to start his own garage with the money, he added.