Ahmedabad Jeweller Cheated of ₹27.60 Lakh; Artisan Flees With 276 Grams of Gold

A jewellery artisan allegedly fled with 276.050 grams of gold worth ₹27.60 lakh after a jeweller in Ahmedabad’s Ghatlodia handed him ornaments for setting work.

The accused, identified as Lakshminarayan Madanlal Soni, allegedly stopped responding to phone calls and locked his house in Nirnay Nagar before disappearing. The jeweller, Rajeshbhai Patel, has lodged a complaint at Ghatlodia police station.

Police have registered a case and launched an investigation.

Gold Ornaments Handed Over in Four Consignments

According to the police complaint, 50-year-old Rajeshbhai Virjibhai Patel runs a jewellery setting business from his residence in Ghatlodia.

Patel had entrusted gold ornaments to Soni, an artisan known to him, for setting work on different dates.

On October 30, at around 4.30 pm, Patel handed over a gold set weighing 184.910 grams and a pair of earrings weighing 49.500 grams.

He subsequently gave the artisan a gold kundan weighing 19.850 grams on November 1. On November 2, at around 2.30 pm, he handed over four more gold pieces weighing 21.790 grams.

The total weight of the ornaments handed over to the artisan was 276.050 grams.

Artisan's House Found Locked

On November 2, Patel called Soni to collect the completed jewellery but received no response.

When repeated calls went unanswered, Patel visited the artisan's residence in Nirnay Nagar. He found the house locked.

Patel also made enquiries with people in the neighbourhood, other artisans and the accused's acquaintances but could not trace him.

He subsequently realised that Soni had allegedly disappeared with all the gold ornaments without returning them.

Jeweller Approaches Ghatlodia Police

The missing jewellery is valued at ₹27,60,500, according to the complaint.

Patel approached Ghatlodia police station and filed a complaint against Soni. Police have registered an offence and begun further investigation to trace the accused and recover the gold ornaments.