Goldsmith arrested in Bengaluru for stealing bullion from jeweller

Bengaluru: The Jayanagar police have arrested a 40-year-old goldsmith for cheating a jeweller and recovered stolen gold bullion and cash worth Rs 2.5 crore.

The arrested suspect, Manish Kumar Soni alias Kailash Chand Soni, had been receiving gold bullion from the victim, a Jayanagar-based jeweller, for four years and supplying jewellery in return.

Between April 29 and June 4, Soni took 8.351 kg of gold bullion, promising jewellery, but went incommunicado. The victim filed a complaint on June 13.

The police arrested Soni in Goa on June 14. During questioning, he confessed to the crime and led them to 3.36 kg of gold bullion hidden at his Hanumanthanagar residence.

On June 15, he was remanded in police custody for 10 days. Further interrogation revealed he had sold a large portion of the bullion. On June 17, the police recovered Rs 8.53 lakh from his friend’s house in Jayanagar and 130 grams of gold that Soni had pawned.

In total, 3.166 kg of gold and Rs 8.53 lakh were recovered. He is currently in judicial custody, the police said.