Rough diamonds worth lakhs seized in Chhattisgarh

Police in Gariaband in Chhattisgarh have so far seized 573 pieces of rough diamonds worth Rs 74.60 lakh in five cases in the district in the last one year.

Raipur: A 62-year-old man was arrested for allegedly smuggling diamonds worth over Rs 22 lakh in Chhattisgarh's Gariaband district, a police official said on Wednesday.

"As many as 221 pieces of rough diamonds were seized from him," he said.

Acting on a tip-off, the accused identified as Arvind Pradhan, a native of Pithora area in neighbouring Mahasamund district was apprehended near Mongra village under Chhura police station area on Tuesday, Gariaband Superintendent of Police Bhojram Patel told PTI.

"On getting information about a man heading towards Mahasamund from Payalikhand, a diamond-rich belt in Gariaband, with a huge quantity of rough diamonds, a team of police swung into action," he said.

"The police team intercepted him and recovered 221 pieces of rough diamonds of different sizes worth around Rs 22.10 lakh kept in an envelope, from his possession," Patel said, adding that his motorcycle was also seized.

Prima facie, it seems that he had illegally brought the diamonds from Payalikhand area, located around 200 km away from the capital Raipur, and planned to sell it, the SP said.

A case has been registered against that accused and further investigation is underway, he said.

With this recovery, Gariaband police have so far seized 573 pieces of rough diamonds worth Rs 74.60 lakh in five cases in the district during the last one year, he added.

The SP has also announced a reward of ₹10,000 for the team who nabbed the smuggler.

(With PTI inputs)