After spending a night in jail, socialite Sheetal Mafatlal is finally free. A Mumbai court on Tuesday agreed to grant her bail on a surety of Rs 5 lakh.
"I am relieved and I thank god," her husband Atulya Mafatlal said.
Sheetal was detained at Mumbai airport on Saturday night by the Air Intelligence Unit for under valuing the jewellery she was carrying.
Mafatlal declared the value of her jewels as Rs 20,000 against the state's estimate of Rs 53 lakh. She was carrying:
- Diamond-studded earrings: Rs 4.22 lakh
- Diamond, pink stones studded gold bracelet: Rs 2.49 lakh
- Pair of diamond, ruby studded brooches: Rs 2.19 lakh
- Diamond-studded gold ring: Rs 2.16 lakh
- Diamond-studded gold bracelet: Rs 2.02 lakh
- Diamond-studded pendant: Rs 1.99 lakh
- Diamond, coral studded gold bracelet: Rs 1.92 lakh
- Diamond, ruby studded gold brooch: Rs 1.91 lakh
Although this is not the first time a high-flying celebrity has been charged with duty evasion, it's certainly got Mumbai's glitterati talking.
"The law should take its course, but I don't think she can be branded as a smuggler," said Nisha Jamvwal, a fashion designer.
Diamonds may be a girl's best friend but this is one time Sheetal Mafatal might well have been happy if her sparkles had gone unnoticed in Mumbai.
