Alleged gold scam: suspect at large arrested from Malappuram

The city police on Friday arrested a local businessman accused of absconding after he collected gold ornaments worth ₹1.39 crore from several jewelery shops in the city for commission sale.

The accused, identified as Safarnas of Parambil Bazaar, was arrested from Malappuram. He reportedly collected over 118 sovereigns of gold ornaments from several jewelers on July 27.

Police sources said Safarnas was involved in selling gold ornaments on behalf of various jewelery shops on commission. After picking up the shipments, he allegedly did not return either the jewelry or the proceeds from the sale. His mobile phone was subsequently found switched off, they said.

The alleged cheating came to light after jewelers who could not get in touch with him contacted the police. The case was registered on the basis of a complaint by KM Rajeevan, the owner of one of the shops.

According to investigators, Safarnas operated out of a jewelry store allegedly rented by an expatriate. He gained the trust of several jewelers after working in the industry for years, police said.

Following the complaint, police teams were deployed to trace him, which led to his arrest from Malappuram. He was subsequently taken into custody for further questioning by the City Police.

Published – 12 Sep 2026 06:00 IST