1 week ago
French Tourist Alleges ₹98 Lakh Diamond Fraud in Mumbai
A French tourist bought what she believed was a natural diamond in Mumbai.
She paid nearly ₹98 lakh for it.
The company reportedly promised to send the diamond to her home in Paris.
The diamond did not arrive for a long time.
She was allegedly asked to pay more money for taxes and shipping.
The diamond was eventually delivered in February 2025.
A laboratory in France reportedly said it was lab-grown, not natural.
Police have registered a cheating case based on her complaint.
Mumbai’s BKC police booked Rimesh Shah, legal representative of Sheetal Solitaire LLP, over an alleged diamond fraud.
French tourist Mallika Aptisi allegedly paid USD 117,338 for a 5.05-carat natural diamond in August 2023.
The diamond was allegedly delivered nearly 18 months later, after demands for additional tax and shipping payments.
A French gemology laboratory reportedly found that the delivered stone was created using the CVD method.
Aptisi alleges she received a lab-grown diamond instead of the natural diamond she purchased.
- Who
- French tourist Mallika Aptisi filed the complaint against Rimesh Shah, legal representative of Sheetal Solitaire LLP.
- What
- The BKC police registered a cheating case over the alleged sale and delayed delivery of a lab-grown diamond presented as a natural diamond.
- Where
- The purchase took place at Sheetal Solitaire LLP’s office in the Bharat Diamond Bourse, Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai; the laboratory examination occurred in France.
- When
- Aptisi paid for the diamond on August 11, 2023; it was delivered on February 19, 2025, and tested on February 26, 2025. The case was registered on August 19.
- Why
- Aptisi alleges she was cheated because the delivered diamond was reportedly lab-grown rather than the natural diamond she purchased.
Key facts
- Complainant
- Mallika Aptisi, a resident of Paris
- Accused
- Rimesh Shah, legal representative of Sheetal Solitaire LLP
- Payment
- USD 117,338, equivalent to approximately ₹98 lakh at the time
- Diamond purchased
- 5.05-carat, IGI-certified, round-cut and polished diamond
- Additional demands
- Approximately ₹44 lakh in alleged VAT and USD 800 in alleged shipment charges
- Delivery date
- February 19, 2025, nearly 18 months after the purchase
- Laboratory finding
- A February 26, 2025 report reportedly identified the stone as artificially created using the Chemical Vapour Deposition method
Sources
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