The two labourers, Motilal and Raghuveer Prajapati, who found a large diamond in the mines of Panna District two months ago are set to see a sudden increase in their bank balance. They had their diamond auctioned last Friday for Rs 2.55 crore, and will soon receive the amount, reports Times of India.
The diamond officer of Panna, Santosh Singh, said that a Jhansi-based jeweller and a BSP leader from Uttar Pradesh had made the highest bid of Rs 6 lakh per carat. Since the diamond is 42.9 carat, the amount is about Rs 2.55 crore. Singh said that the bidder deposited a cheque worth 20 per cent of the cost , with the remaining amount to be paid within a month when he would take possession of the diamond. With a deduction of 12 per cent royalty and other taxes, the remaining amount to be transferred is Rs 2.30 crore.
The two labourers, who will share the amount, had unknowingly carried the diamond to deposit the stone to the district diamond office on 9 October 2018. The diamond turned out to be the biggest in the history of Panna’s shallow diamond mines, with the previous biggest being 44.55 carat diamond in 1961.
The labourers who didn’t turn up to the auction celebrated in the evening by offering prayers and distributing sweets. Motilal says that Raghuveer needed the money desperately to repay his debts. “We can now educate our children,” they say. The diamond officer said that they would receive the remaining sum within a month.
In Panna, many people try their luck by leasing the 8m x 8m shallow mine from the district administration for a nominal annual fee. On finding a diamond, its to be deposited in the office of district diamond officer, where they are auctioned at regular intervals.
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