10 Indian diamond traders jailed in China 12 to be deported

Ten of the 22 Indian traders, charged with smuggling diamonds worth USD 7.3 million into China, were on Wednesday sentenced to varied prison terms ranging from 23 months to six years by a Shenzhen court, which ordered the deportation of the remaining 12.

The Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court, which conducted the trial of the diamond traders, most of them from Gujarat, sentenced one of them to six years; two to five years each; one to three years and six months; and five others to three years each, Indian officials, who attended the court proceedings, said.

One more trader was sentenced to one year and eleven months in jail, according to sketchy details received here.

The court ordered the deportation of the remaining 12 traders, an official said. Some of the traders were also slapped fines ranging from three lakh to ten lakh yuan (Rs 24 lakh to Rs 80 lakh). Officials of the Indian Consulate at Guangzhou attended the court proceedings. The 22 traders were arrested on January 8, 2010 in Shenzhen and charged with smuggling diamonds worth USD 7.3 million.