Rajkot: A pair of brothers running a jewellery store in Junagadh shut shop and vanished, causing estimated losses of Rs 8 lakh in money and jewellery to several people.
Sonal Chorvada filed a complaint at A Division police station against siblings Niren Dholakiya and Hardik Dholakiya for criminal breach of trust and violation of the Gujarat Money Lenders Act. Chorvada said her family had long-standing dealings with Harkishan Parshotamdas Dholakiya's firm, now operated by the accused brothers.
For her son's business venture, they approached the firm with jewellery worth Rs 4 lakh. In April, they lent her Rs 3.50 lakh against the jewellery, with a monthly interest payment of Rs 2,600. She gathered funds and paid back Rs 1 lakh on Oct 27. She intended to clear the outstanding on Oct 29, when they found that the shop had closed and learned of the firm's insolvency and the owners' disappearance.
Other complainants included Manisha Sagathiya, who had given her mangalsutra worth Rs 80,000 to the firm and paid Rs 50,000 in advance for a heavier replacement. Jivi Rathod had pledged earrings worth Rs 40,000 for a Rs 11,000 loan. Haresh Chouhan had borrowed Rs 50,000 against a gold chain worth Rs 1.20 lakh, while another customer had paid an advance of Rs 1.12 lakh for ornament fabrication.