Indian accused of stealing diamonds in world's smallest Island

Sumir Kaul

New Delhi, June 13 (PTI) An Indian national has been
accused of stealing and decamping with three fine diamonds
worth lakhs of rupees in the world's smallest Island
-- St Maarten -- located near Caribbean Islands.

In a letter written to Prime Minister's office and
officials in External Affairs Ministry and Central Bureau of
Investigation, Diamonds International firm alleged that a
Mumbai-based Indian national, who was working with the group
for eight years, made good with three diamonds on June five.

The three diamonds -- round brilliant (finest cut) and
round brilliant and square shaped Princess cut diamonds (both
of them certified by Gemological Institute of America -- are
worth nearly 100,000 dollars in the wholesale international
market.

The Company's Managing Director Moshe Hakimi, annexed
the passport details of the accused, whose address in India
has been shown to be in Chembur (Mumbai). The Indian national
was not identified.

"I have got a case registered against the accused in
Police station. Even the Indian authorities have been informed
through their Venezuelan mission," Hakimi told P.T.I. over
phone from Philipsburg (St Maarten).

St Maarten Island is the world's smallest inhabited
Island with an area of only 37 square miles and a population
of 85,000. Tourism is the mainstay of its economy and is
considered as a shopper's paradise with wide range of duty
free shops. One part of the Island is controlled by France and
the other by the Netherlands.

With no help flowing from the Indian side, Hakimi would
now be approaching Lt. Governor of St Maarten. "I want him to
take up the matter now with the Indian side," he said.

Having a work force of nearly 150 Indians in his
establishment, Hakimi has all the praise for the Indians.
"...I have many Indians working for me for many years and my
overall experience has been positive," he said but agrees that
his "confidence level" was shaken.

Hakimi says many of his staff members especially Indians
were helping him and also praying "for his arrest."

In his appeal to the Indian authorities, Hakimi said the
accused had shocked the entire Indian community, which has a
large presence in St Maarten Island.

The Association of Indians in the St Maarten have also
sought speedy action to bring the culprit to book.

Indians have been a part of this Island since 19th
century after slavery was abolished. Britishers brought some
Chinese and East Indians to take the place of slaves.

Thus, St Maarten and the other islands are populated by
a mixture of American Indians, Europeans, Africans, Indians
and Asian peoples. PTI