15 years on, two brothers held for gold misappropriation

Police arrested two brothers in West Bengal on Sunday for allegedly misappropriating 1,430 grams of gold and diamonds entrusted to them by a Delhi jeweller after nearly 15 years. The accused, Pintu Koley (47) and Mintu Koley (46), were arrested from Hooghly during the intervening night of October 1 and 2, they said.

The brothers, trained jewellery makers and designers, were booked in connection with an FIR registered at Kotwali police station in 2011. Police said the accused acquired expertise in jewellery designing while working with various jewellers in Delhi. They allegedly took advantage of the trust placed in them and misappropriated substantial quantities of gold and diamonds given to them for making jewellery.

They subsequently fled Delhi and settled in West Bengal. Both were declared proclaimed offenders in the case, after which police said a reward of `10,000 each was announced in 2012.

A Crime Branch team traced the brothers after developing specific information about their presence in Hooghly. The accused were found working as jewellery makers and undertaking orders from jewellers in Kolkata and Hooghly while allegedly maintaining a low profile to evade arrest.

“They were apprehended, and during interrogation, the accused allegedly disclosed that they wanted to start their own jewellery designing business but lacked funds. They allegedly planned to use the valuables entrusted to them to arrange finances for the proposed business,” a senior police officer said.