Indian national jailed in Singapore for diamond heist

An Indian national was given more than two years’ jail term on Tuesday for his role in stealing a diamond from a jewellery shop in Singapore’s Chinatown precinct, according to a media report.

Serasiya Milan Ramnikbhai, 30, pleaded guilty to a charge of theft with common intention, Channel NewsAsia reported. His accomplice, 41-year-old Mangroliya Manojkumar Kurjibha, was handed the same jail term of 26 months and two weeks in July. Both of them have been identified as Indian nationals. The duo had commissioned a counterfeit diamond in Surat, India, matching the specifications and serial number of the targeted stone, the report said.

Serasiya had hidden the custom-made fake diamond in his mouth, swapped it for the genuine stone and then concealed the real diamond in his mouth, it said.

Mangroliya had devised the plan, sourced the counterfeit diamond, identified the trader, Dianoche Diamonds Jewellery, for the heist and booked their flights and accommodation, Serasiya’s lawyer Amarick Gill said.