Chennai:A diamond trader from Anna Nagar has lodged a formal complaint with the Chennai Police Commissioner’s Public Grievance Redressal Office, alleging that Vadapalani police officers replaced a genuine antique diamond with a fake before submitting it in court.The complainant, S. Chandrasekhar, 56, claimed that the diamond, weighing 17.44 carats, was originally seized by the police after it was robbed from him but was later replaced with a counterfeit stone. According to Chandrasekhar, who was in the trading of old gold and diamonds business for almost four decades, he was attacked on May 4 by a group of individuals who expressed interest in purchasing the diamond. When he visited a hotel in Vadapalani, as per the interest of the buyers, along with his foster daughter Janaki alias Abi and family friend Subramani, he was assaulted and the diamond was stolen.Abi and Subramani were in another room when Chandrasekhar met the ‘buyers’.Following his complaint, the Vadapalani police arrested five suspects in Thoothukudi and Thanjavur and reportedly recovered the stolen diamond. Chandrasekhar stated that the original stone was brought to the police station and authenticated in the presence of two appraisers, along with Subramani and Janaki. The diamond was then registered as case property and was to be submitted to the Saidapet court on May 8.However, when the stone was produced before the court, the judge, based on expert appraisal, reportedly found it to be fake and ordered further verification of the evidentiary documents. On May 13, when Chandrasekhar’s daughter inquired about the matter at the Vadapalani police station, she was allegedly threatened by the inspector and denied further clarification.Chandrasekhar has now alleged that a fake diamond, made to resemble the original, was deliberately prepared and presented in court, while the authentic antique diamond remains unaccounted for. He urged the Police Commissioner to take immediate action against those responsible for the alleged deception and to recover the original gem.The complaint has raised serious questions about the handling of case property by the Vadapalani police, and an internal inquiry will be initiated.