India, Nov. 6 -- A Frenchman found a gold treasure worth $800,000 (over Rs.7 crore) while digging a swimming pool in his garden, officials said.

The man informed the authorities after he found the gold in May, and they allowed him to keep it as it was not in an archaeological reserve, the council in the eastern town of Neuville-sur-Saone said on Wednesday, according to an AFP news agency report.

He discovered "five gold bars and many coins." They had been buried inside plastic bags, local newspaper Le Progres reported.

The police found that the gold had been acquired legally and had been melted "15 or 20 years ago" at a nearby refinery.

The previous owner of the garden has died, the town hall stated, and no one knows how the gold ende...