3 min readAhmedabadJun 11, 2026 09:19 PM IST
In a case that seems like straight out of a folklore, three men in their 50s, who primarily earned their livelihood through farming, were arrested by Vadodara City Police on Thursday for allegedly attempting to sell off a “magical” stone named “Sulemani Patthar” for a staggering Rs 20 crore and threatening and confining a prospective buyer with a demand of Rs 50,000 when the deal fell through.
Police said the accused claimed to possess a black “Sulemani stone” with “supernatural powers” that could allegedly protect the person having its possession from all harm. Police Inspector D C Raol said that the men claimed that possessing the stone could shield the person from injuries, including those inflicted by sharp objects. To demonstrate its powers, the accused allegedly circulated a video showing how inflicting cuts with blades, knives and other weapons, did not lead to any injury as the person was in possession of the “Sulemani” stone.
The case came to light after Vadodara-based astrologer Yogesh Pandya was introduced to one of the accused, Vijaysinh Gohil of Bhavnagar, through his driver, Manoj Parmar. Gohil and his associates allegedly demonstrated the stone before a prospective buyer at Pandya’s residence. During the demonstration, the buyer was shown what appeared to be cuts with a blade and knife that did not result in injury, leading him to briefly believe the claims. The accused then allegedly quoted a price of Rs 20 crore for the stone.
However, when the parties met the following day at a hotel near Kapurai Chowkdi for further negotiations, the prospective buyer demanded another live demonstration. The accused allegedly refused and insisted on being paid the money first. Suspecting a fraud, the buyer and his female associate left the meeting.
The two other accused have been identified as Mehboob and Akram. According to the complaint, the accused detained Pandya and his friend in a hotel room and allegedly threatened them, demanding Rs 50,000 for having “wasted their time” by arranging the failed deal. The complainant managed to leave the hotel on the pretext of withdrawing cash from an ATM and subsequently alerted police. Vadodara City Police registered an FIR and arrested the three accused along with the purported “Sulemani stone.”
Raol told The Indian Express, “They have been arrested for attempting to cheat and threatening the complainant. We are questioning the arrested persons and verifying their criminal antecedents… They will be produced before a magistrate’s court on Friday. Further investigation is underway to ascertain if they have fleeced anyone before in a similar manner.”
The police have confiscated three mobile phones and the black stone, the monetary value of which has been shown as “zero” in the police case.
