India, April 26 -- The Pune police anti-extortion squad (unit 2) has uncovered a gold fraud case worth nearly Rs.18 crore, arresting a jewellery shop manager and his accomplices for allegedly cheating the owner.

The main accused has been identified as Prashant Kantilal Barmecha, 61, of Shantinagar Society in Kondhwa, who was working as a manager at the jewellery shop. His associates have been identified as Ramakant Mahadev Parale, 62, and Maheshwari Ramakant Parale, 22, of Kedgaon in Ahilyanagar district. Search is underway for another woman accused, the mother of Maheshwari. The trio was taken into custody on Friday, police said.

The fraud was carried out at a well-known jewellery shop located on Laxmi Road for the last one year. Accor...