Telangana HC lawyer ‘cheated’ by Surat diamond trader

Reddy purchased diamonds worth Rs 4 lakh from Shah and returned home. As she had done a course from the Gemological Institute of America in Mumbai, she could tell the difference between good quality and poor quality gems. Satisfied that she had received genuine, high quality diamonds, Reddy later placed an order by phone in April 2019 for diamonds worth Rs 7.32 lakh, police said.

Shah supplied the diamonds through courier to Reddy’s house in Hyderabad, after cashing a cheque that the lawyer had sent him. When Reddy examined the gems that were delivered to her, she found that more than 40 per cent of the diamonds were of low grade or poor quality, the complaint states.

Reddy called up Shah and complained to him. She told him to send another parcel and returned the low quality diamonds back to him.

When she received the replacement parcel, she got it checked by a private firm in Mahidharpura, Surat and found that 30 per cent of the diamonds in the lot were of low quality. Reddy also found that 20 per cent of the diamonds did not match the order given by her.

Feeling cheated, Reddy herself then came down to Surat and lodged a complaint with Mahidhpura police station against Shah.

Mahidharpura police inspector P A Arya said, “We have registered a case of cheating on the basis of a complaint filed by Reddy. Once we locate the accused and get his statements, the picture would be clear.