HYDERABAD: Interstate offender Mohammad Ruhila was apprehended by the police in Hyderabad for an attention diversion scam and duping a diamond merchant out of 64 carats of diamonds worth Rs 18 lakh. The accused, who hails from Chikballapur in Karnataka, was identified and apprehended in a swift operation within a day of a complaint being filed by the diamond merchant on January 25.
According to police reports, Ruhila has a history of similar crimes in Karnataka, and had been continuing with such offences primarily outside the State. The accused had contacted the merchant Vivek Jatin Javeri through the India Mart website, showing interest in purchasing the diamonds and agreeing to meet the merchant in Hyderabad on Wednesday. Ruhila reached the lodge and updated the merchant on the lodge’s address located at Ambika Lodge in Afzalgunj. However, as Vivek Javeri was busy, he sent his brother to meet Ruhila.
During the meeting, Ruhila examined the quality of the diamonds and agreed to purchase them, but replaced the original diamonds with fake ones while writing the amount on the cheque to pay for the diamonds. The merchant’s brother, who did not realise the difference, thought they were the original diamonds and put them inside to take back to his brother, as Ruhila had said he would return shortly to pay for the diamonds.
The brothers realised the diamonds were fake only when they tried showing them to another client, and immediately approached the Afzalgunj police. Detective Inspector A Satish, who took up the case, said, “He was traced with the help of CCTV footage, cell tower signals and call details. He was tracked back to his village in Karnataka with the help of local assistance.”The accused is currently in police custody and will be produced in court.