Faridabad: In an act of honesty that has won praise from locals and police alike, a scrap dealer in Faridabad returned gold jewellery worth approximately Rs 15 lakh after discovering it among discarded household items he had purchased months ago.
The jewellery, weighing around 100 grams, belonged to Ashok Sharma, who had accidentally sold it during Diwali ki safai. The gold was handed back to the family at the office of ACP Ballabhgarh, Jitesh Malhotra.
100 gram gold jewellery put in sack before Kumbh Mela trip
According to Sharma, the family had carefully put their gold ornaments in a box, which was then placed inside a sack before they left for the Kumbh Mela in January last year. The idea was to keep the valuables safe from potential theft while they were away. However, during Diwali ki safai later that year, the sack was mistakenly treated as scrap and sold to a local dealer.
Sack sold during Diwali ki safai
Faridabad man sells gold as junk by mistake, scrap dealer Haji Akhtar Khan returns it after 4 months
The packet containing 100 grams of gold jewellery belonged to Ashok Sharma, who had by mistake sold it during a Diwali clean-up.A Scarp Dealer ” Haji Akhtar Khan Sahab” in… https://t.co/xf8IaFgPy0 pic.twitter.com/kbsAXMjD1Y
— Team Rising Falcon (@TheRFTeam) February 20, 2026
“We had kept the gold safely before leaving for the Kumbh Mela. During Diwali cleaning, it was accidentally sold with scrap. We realised our mistake later and were very upset,” Sharma told India Today.
Soon after realised the mistake, the family approached the scrap dealer but they were unable to trace the jewellery immediately and returned home disappointed.
Gold jewellery worth Rs 15 lakh found in junk
Nearly four months later, the scrap dealer, Haji Akhtar Khan, found the gold wrapped in paper while sorting through the scrap materials he had bought. Without hesitation, Khan approached the police and brought the jewellery to ACP Malhotra’s office to ensure it was returned to its rightful owner.
“After finding the gold, I felt it was my responsibility to return it to its rightful owner. My entire family supported this decision,” Khan said.
ACP Malhotra commended Khan’s integrity and said the incident was a reminder that honesty continues to thrive in society. He also advised citizens to remain cautious and vigilant about safeguarding their valuables.