The case had become an irritant in bilateral ties and was taken up at various levels by the Indian leadership with their Chinese counterparts.
Nine Indian traders were on Wednesday sentenced by a Chinese court with varied jail terms and fines for smuggling diamonds worth $7.3 million to the country even as 13 others got a reprieve as they were ordered to be deported in what was regarded a politically sensitive case. The case had become an irritant in bilateral ties and was taken up at various levels by the Indian leadership with their Chinese counterparts.
Back home, the Modi government claimed credit for the move saying chief minister’s “diplomatic efforts” secured the release of diamond traders from Surat and Mumbai.
According to a statement from the Gujarat resident commissioner’s office, “After chief minister Narendra Modi took up the matter with Chinese authorities, the case was expedited and judgment delivered on Wednesday.” The persons found innocent would be deported to India within 15 days, it added.
The Shenzen Intermediate People’s Court in south China sentenced Raj Kumar Jain for six years, while Bavishi Rajukumar Babubhai and Soni Amitkumar Arunkumar for five years each. In addition, Arunkumar has been fined three lakh Yuan, ($48,000). Rishit Manish Kumar Shah was sentenced to three years six months.
Four others, Dharm Veer Patel was fined 5 lakh Yuan ($80,000) Dhaval Vikulkumar Patel, Mitul Kumar Mafatlal Chhunchcha and Shah Nishith Garishbhai, Patel Vipulkumar Manubhai were sentenced to three year imprisonment each. Jigar Prafulchandra Mehta was fined one million Yuan ($1.59 lakh) while 12 merchants were ordered to be deported. Samir Arvindlal Shah, who was sentenced to one year eleven months, is entitled to be deported as he completed his term of his sentence. Mehta could also be deported provided he pays the hefty $1.59 lakh fine.
The 22 traders hailing from Gujarat were arrested at Shenzhen and charged them with smuggling diamonds worth 50 million yuan ($7.3 million).
They were accused of sourcing at least 14,000 carats of diamonds illegally from Hong Kong, for sale on the Chinese market. They were accused of controlling a smuggling ring, working with “henchmen from Hong Kong”, according to a reports published in the local media.
The judgment, which was tensely waited by their families and the Indian diplomats, brought about a sense of relief as majority of them were entitled to be released sparing them of major prison terms.
The case became a delicate issue for the Indian diplomats as Chinese prosecutors flaunted video as well as documentary evidence about the involvement of the 22 traders.
While prime minister Manmohan Singh took it up with his counterpart, Wen Jiabao during latter’s visit to New Delhi, external affairs minister SM Krishna took it up with his counterpart Yang Jiechi. As pressure mounted, the Chinese responded by permitting vegetarian food and access to their families and Indian diplomats. Indian Ambassador S Jaishankar met them a month ago and spent some time with inquiring about their well being.
Indian diamond exports of late fared well as they were set to cross $1 billion mark this year. The exports have crossed $926 million in the last ten months.
— With PTI inputs
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