MP to hunt for Rs 50cr 'missing' Panna diamond

BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh law minister Kusum Mehedele has written to chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, seeking an inquiry into the alleged disappearance of a diamond worth Rs 50 crore from Panna.
In a letter written two days ago, Mehedele —who also holds the charge of public health engineering, animal husbandry, fisheries, horticulture and food processing — said on many occasions diamonds found in open pit mines of Panna were not deposited at the diamond officer’s office.She said mine lease holder, Halkai Yadav, had connived with K P Dinkar, former diamond officer, in “illegally selling off the precious stone”. She alleged some police officers were also involved and demanded the registration of an FIR.
According to rules, she said, the jewel should have been in the diamond office and valued before an auction is organized by the diamond office. It cannot be sold in open market, she wrote.
An 8x8 metre open diamond mine in Panna can be leased out at an annual rate of Rs 250. More than 500 such mines are being operated in the area.