After TOI report, real diamond rings for Bhopal vote-lottery winners

BHOPAL: Following TOI’s report that the ‘diamond rings’ given to winners of the voter lottery in Bhopal had no diamond, the district administration on Thursday replaced the rings with ones carrying a certified diamond each.
Officials went to each of the four winners’ homes and gave them new rings and a certificate from International Gemological Institute of India that said the ring had 1.36 gram gold and ‘con tained one natural diamond of estimated 0.04 carat’.
TOIhad carried a report on Thursday that the ‘bumper draw prizes’ touted as diamond rings weren’t real diamonds. The administration sought to argue that the ‘value’ of the rings wasn’t important as they were meant as a “badge of honour”.
The episode caused the administration embarrassment and real diamond rings were given out on Thursday.
Certificate given with diamond ring
One of the winners, Chhaya Saini, told TOI that a woman teacher had arrived with a new ring, a certificate and a bill that said the ring had gold worth Rs 11,000 and diamond worth Rs 3,700. Asked if she got a new ring in place of the one she was given at the polling booth she said, “Yes, we have got the ring. They would have done better to organise the bumper draws more carefully. We know you don’t get a diamond ring for Rs 17,000, but it's OK. Let it be.”
She and Ayan Khan had won the bumper prize at booths near the assembly. Khan said: “The ring given that day was fake. They have been given a new ring, which according to the bill costs Rs 16,700.They have also given me a certificate.” Stockbroker Yaggoj Sahu, the first winner of a diamond ring at Char Imli booth, didn’t respond to calls. Premvati Kushwaha was the fourth winner.
District collector Kaushlendra Vikram Singh said on Thursday: “I inquired from the staff, they said there is American diamond in the ring. I asked them to tell the sponsors to send them a ring that has a natural diamond and also a certificate. I am told that it has been done.”