New Delhi: A 15-year manhunt for two brothers wanted in a jewellery fraud case ended with their arrest in Hooghly, West Bengal, police said Sunday. Pintu Koley (47) and Mintu Koley (46) were nabbed during the intervening night of Oct 1 and 2 in connection with the case.The duo, trained jewellery makers and designers, allegedly misappropriated 1,430 grams of gold and 560 carats of diamonds entrusted to them by a Delhi-based jeweller. They allegedly left Delhi and settled in West Bengal, where they continued working as jewellery makers.The case was registered in 2011 at Kotwali police station in Delhi. Both brothers were subsequently declared proclaimed offenders, and a Rs 10,000 reward each was announced by Delhi Police commissioner in 2012.After police were tipped off about their presence in Hooghly, a team traced and arrested them.Police said the brothers had gained the trust of jewellers after learning jewellery-making in West Bengal and later coming to Delhi in 2009, where they worked with various jewellers for around two years. They allegedly planned to use the valuables entrusted to them to arrange funds for starting their own jewellery-designing business.While on the run, they frequently changed locations as police raided their house and suspected hideouts. Meanwhile, they continued taking orders from jewellers in Kolkata and Hooghly, staying low-key all along.Pintu, educated up to Class 2, is married and has two sons; Mintu, educated up to Class 6, is unmarried. Further investigation is in progress.
