Chandigarh, Sep 20 (IANS) Nearly 170 kg of gold and diamond jewellery was seized from a chartered aircraft at Sahnewal airport near Ludhiana by officials of the Punjab excise and taxation department Friday.
The gold and ornaments were being carried by executives of a private company who claimed that the consignment was meant for a new jewellery showroom of the company being opened in Ludhiana, 110 km from here, by a leading south-India based jewellery shop chain, officials said.
The excise and taxation officials have directed the jewellery chain company executives to produce the relevant documents for the expensive gold and jewellery seized.
“If they are unable to produce the required documents, they will be levied a heavy penalty,” said a senior excise and taxation officer, who requested anonymity.
He said that the documents carried by the company executives were not related to the consignment seized.
The jewellery chain has entered the market in north India, especially Punjab, recently. Their Ludhiana showroom is scheduled to be inaugurated soon.