GURGAON: In a rare display of integrity, a scrap dealer in Faridabad returned nearly 100 grams (around 10 tolas) of gold jewellery worth approximately ₹15 lakh to a family six months after they had unknowingly sold it as scrap. The incident pertains to Ashok Sharma and his family, who had stored their gold ornaments in a small box placed inside a sack at their residence before leaving for the Kumbh Mela in January last year, in an attempt to safeguard the valuables from theft. However, during Diwali cleaning, the sack was inadvertently disposed of and sold as household scrap to a local scrap trader, Haji Akhtar Khan.
The family realised the ornaments were missing only while preparing for the Diwali puja and subsequently began searching for them. They approached the scrap dealer two to three times over the following months, but the jewellery could not be traced at that time.Explaining the sequence of events, Haji Akhtar Khan said, “They brought the scrap six months ago and sold it. At that time, we did not notice anything unusual. After about two months, they returned and informed us that some of their gold jewellery might have been in the scrap. I told them to look for it, but if they had come within 20 days or a month, we could have checked the CCTV footage. By then, too much time had passed and nothing was found.” He further stated, “Day before yesterday, while examining some scrap material, I found a plastic packet. Someone might have kept it there assuming it was brass. I suspected it could be theirs and got it verified by a jeweller, who confirmed it was 100% gold, 22-karat, weighing 100 grams. I decided it belonged to Sharma Ji and no one else, and therefore it should be returned. We believe in earning through hard work and cannot keep someone else’s property. My family also agreed that it must be returned.”Ashok Sharma, expressing his gratitude at the ACP office, said, “We suffered a significant loss during Diwali when, by mistake, 10 tolas of gold went into the scrap. Today, Haji Akhtar Khan Sahab has set an example of honesty. He came to the ACP Sahab’s office, handed over the gold, and informed us to collect our belongings. I thank him from the bottom of my heart.”ACP Jitesh Malhotra said the scrap dealer operates near the Agra Canal and had purchased the scrap from the family six months ago. He confirmed that the recovered items perfectly matched the list provided by the Sharmas. Commending the dealer’s honesty, he said such integrity is rare and advised families to store valuables in bank lockers or other secure places rather than at home in a manner that carries risk. The incident has drawn widespread appreciation locally, with residents stating that it reflects honesty that transcends religious boundaries.
