Tamil Nadu: Gold jewellery worth Rs 75 lakh without hallmark seized in Bodi
Tamil Nadu: Officials from the Indian Standards Authority of India (SAI) seized jewelry without the hallmark mark from a private jewelry shop in Bodi, Theni district, on Friday.
Bodi, March 7: Officials from the Standards Authority of India (SAI) seized gold jewelry worth ₹7.5 million (approximately $1.5 million) from a jewelry shop in Bodi on Friday.
Officials from the Coimbatore branch of the Standards Organization of India raided a jewelry shop in Bodi, Theni district, following a complaint that jewelry without the hallmark was being sold. The raid was conducted by G. Vineethkumar, Director of the Standards Organization of India, and A. Arivalagan, Joint Director, and officials.
It was discovered that gold jewelry without the hallmark mark was being sold there. Following this, officials seized jewelry worth ₹1.5 million (approximately $1.5 million). According to the Indian Standards Act, jewelry without the hallmark is exempted from tax up to ₹7.5 million (approximately $1.5 million). Regarding this, G. Bhavani, Scientific Expert and Senior Leader at the Indian Standards Institution in Coimbatore, said: Only jewelry bearing the ‘Hallmark’ mark should be sold in jewelry shops. Shop owners who sell jewelry without the ‘Hallmark’ mark face a jail term of up to one year, a fine of at least ₹100,000, or up to five times the value of the goods sold.
Complaints regarding the sale of jewelry without the ‘Hallmark’ mark can be filed at the Indian Standards Institution Branch Office, 3rd Floor, BSNL Detex Building, Race Course Road, Coimbatore-641018.
He added that complaints can also be filed through the Indian Standards Institution’s app and website.
