A real-life diamond heist drama, resembling a Bollywood crime plot, has ended with one of the accused receiving a jail sentence in Singapore. Two Indian nationals allegedly planned to steal a US$154,000 diamond from a jewellery store in Chinatown by replacing it with a counterfeit stone.
Gold 101.3FM – UAE’s No. 1 radio station brings you the latest international news updates.
Mangroliya Manojkumar Kurjibhai, 41, was sentenced to two years, two months and two weeks in jail after pleading guilty to theft. The hearing for his alleged accomplice, Serasiya Milan Ramnikbhai, 30, is scheduled for Friday.
According to court reports, the duo travelled to Singapore on social passes after arranging a fake 4.95-carat diamond in Surat, made to match the original stone’s specifications and serial number. At a Chinatown jewellery store, one man allegedly distracted the staff while the other swapped the genuine diamond with the counterfeit one and hid the real gem in his mouth.
The plan fell apart after CCTV cameras captured the exchange. The store later identified the diamond as fake, and the two men were arrested at Changi Airport while attempting to fly back to India. The original diamond was recovered from Milan’s belongings.
Prosecutors said the crime involved careful planning, including commissioning a counterfeit diamond and travelling to Singapore specifically to carry out the theft. Mangroliya, who has two children in India, requested a reduced sentence. The offence could have carried a maximum punishment of up to seven years in jail and a fine.
