Man held for trying to cheat jeweller with fake gold biscuits

A 33-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly attempting to cheat a jeweller by selling him fake gold biscuits, a police official said on Thursday.

Deepak Shinde, a resident of Ghatla in suburban Chembur, was arrested by Unit-12 of the Mumbai police's Crime Branch on Wednesday, the official said.

The incident came to light on Tuesday when Shinde and his aide were trying to sell 2 kg "gold" biscuits at a rate of Rs 20,000 per 10 gram, way below the existing price of around Rs 38,000, he said.

They met a jeweller at Zaveri Bazar who had come to purchase gold after being contacted by the duo earlier, the official said.

During conversation, Shinde promised to sell gold to the jeweller at a rate lower than the current market price, he said.

He also showed him sample pieces of "gold" bar, the official said.

The jeweller, who had doubt about the claims made by Shinde, had earlier tipped-off Crime Branch officials, who laid a trap in suburban Dahisar, the official said.

When the accused came to sell "gold" biscuits, the jeweller immediately realised they were fake. He alerted the police team, which apprehended him, he said.

During investigation, it came to light the accused had cheated jewellers by using the same modus operandi in other parts of Mumbai and also in adjoining Navi Mumbai and Thane, he said.

The man has been booked under IPC sections related to cheating and punishment for attempting to commit offences, the official said.