At the IGI airport, customs authorities have apprehended a former member of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor’s staff along with another individual on suspicion of engaging in gold smuggling activities. The customs officials, acting on their intuition, have filed a case of gold smuggling against an Indian national who arrived from Bangkok on Wednesday.
Upon further inquiry, it was discovered that another person, who had arrived at the airport to receive the aforementioned passenger, was also implicated in the suspected smuggling operation. This individual was intercepted, and a substantial gold chain weighing 500 grams, valued at 35.22 lakh, was confiscated from their possession. The customs department stated that the gold was transferred to the receiver by the passenger within the confines of the arrival hall.
Upon investigation, it was revealed that the said individual possessed a valid Aerodrome Entry Permit. The customs authorities are now scrutinizing the circumstances under which the receiver obtained the Aerodrome Entry Permit as part of their role in the protocol team for a Member of Parliament.
The confiscated gold has been seized under section 110 of the Customs Act, 1962, and a thorough investigation is currently underway, as stated in the official statement released by the customs department.
Shashi Tharoor, currently engaged in election campaigning in Dharamshala for the Lok Sabha polls, expressed shock upon learning about the involvement of a former member of his staff in the incident. He clarified that the individual, a 72-year-old retiree undergoing frequent dialysis, was employed on a part-time basis due to compassionate reasons.
Tharoor emphasized that he does not condone any alleged wrongdoing and pledges full cooperation with the authorities in their investigation. He asserted that the law must be allowed to take its due course.
Earlier reports from Customs indicated that one of the detained individuals identified himself as Shiv Kumar Prasad, claiming association with Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar, referring to the detention of the alleged aide of Shashi Tharoor, criticized the Congress and the CPM, labeling them as an “alliance of gold smugglers.”
Chandrasekhar’s remarks allude to past incidents, such as the 2020 Gold Scam in Kerala, where Customs seized 30 Kilos of Gold from a diplomatic bag at the Thiruvananthapuram Airport. The investigation into the matter was subsequently taken over by the NIA, leading to the suspension and removal of M Sivasankar, principal secretary to Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, due to alleged connections with one of the accused.
Chandrasekhar, the NDA candidate from the Thiruvananthapuram constituency, faces stiff competition from Tharoor, who is seeking reelection for a third term. The CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) has nominated CPI leader Pannyan Raveendran for the seat, previously won by him in 2005.
While the BJP has historically struggled to secure Lok Sabha seats in Kerala, they managed to secure victory in the Thiruvananthapuram district once, with O Rajagopal’s win in the Nemom assembly seat in 2016.
Voting for all 20 Lok Sabha constituencies in Kerala, alongside 88 constituencies across 13 states and union territories, concluded on April 26 as part of the second phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The ongoing elections, spanning seven phases, are set to conclude on June 1, with vote counting scheduled for June 4.