Vadodara: A sales manager with a Mumbai-based jewellery trader was allegedly cheated of gold jewellery worth Rs 8.28 crore on Sunday, after he delivered the consignment to a jeweller who had placed an order for a new shop. Police registered an FIR against three men and began an investigation.Himanshu Jain told Bapod police that he got a call from Bhavik Soni on Oct 10. Soni said he was opening a jewellery shop at Sai Ganesh Complex on Waghodia Road on Dussehra and wanted to buy gold jewellery for the outlet. He later sent a list of jewellery on WhatsApp.Jain told police that he trusted Soni as they had been doing business since 2017. After the deal was finalized, Soni agreed to make payment on delivery of the jewellery.Jain travelled from Maharashtra to Vadodara on Sunday with gold ornaments worth more than Rs 8.28 crore. He was accompanied by his friend, Vidhan Kirti. He also called his Anand-based relative, Nil Jain, who came to Soni’s shop.According to the complaint, Soni examined the ornaments and then invited Himanshu to lunch. He declined, though Nil Jain joined Soni for a meal. Soni allegedly told Himanshu to put the jewellery bags inside the shop before locking it from outside.Himanshu told police that while waiting outside, he went to a washroom in a nearby restaurant for about 12 minutes. When he returned, he found the shop open and the jewellery bags missing.He immediately contacted Nil Jain, who said Soni had left the restaurant some time earlier on the pretext of washing his hands.Police were informed and reached the spot. Officers examined CCTV footage from a nearby shop, which showed two men arriving on a scooter, opening the shop and leaving with the bags containing the ornaments.Himanshu Jain said Soni’s mobile phone was switched off, leading him to suspect that he had been cheated.Police registered a case of cheating and criminal conspiracy against Soni and two unidentified men. Efforts are under way to trace the suspects seen in the CCTV footage.
