Mumbai: One held as cops crack down on fake diamond trading ring

A 37-year-old man was arrested from the Opera House by DB Marg police on Saturday for allegedly duping a diamond trader of the expensive stone worth Rs 6 lakh. The police have been looking for the accused, a history-sheeter, since last March. The arrested accused has been identified as Pravin Jain, alias Pappu.

There are two others involved in the gang, police said, adding the duo has been Mahesh Mangukiya the ringleader — and Rakesh. 

The diamond trader, CR Naidu, is native of Pune. He met one Ajay Jain, alias Mahesh Mangukiya, last March during a diamond trade fair at the Opera House in Mumbai when he gave him diamonds worth Rs 6 lakh.  

Naidu also told police that Jain and his accomplice fled the city with the stolen diamonds. Reports of breach of trust and cheating were lodged with DB Marg police.

“We have scanned CCTV footages of the Opera House and recovered images of the spot where the duo had met. The trio hails from Mount Abu in Rajasthan. Our sleuths couldn’t find anybody when they went there,” said an officer probing the case. Responding to a specific lead, the police reached the Opera House on Saturday and arrested Jain. “Jain admitted during interrogation that he the other aides duped Naidu. Jain has 12 cases of cheating registered against him in Mumbai and one in Ahme-dabad. Mangukiya and Rakesh are on the run,” he said.