CBI books GST, Customs officials for facilitating gold smuggling in paste form
New Delhi:The CBI has booked three Customs and GST officials based in Bengaluru for allegedly helping smugglers bring gold from Dubai in the form of paste, officials said Tuesday.
The agency had received information that DRI officials had intercepted six international passengers who were handing over smuggled gold to some receivers.
During investigation, it was found that the gold was being smuggled in the form of paste, which was hidden in the waist belt by the couriers, the agency said.
The CBI alleged that on October 14, 2018, six carriers brought 11 kilogram gold costing Rs 3.67 crore which was seized by the DRI officials.
"It is learnt that the smugglers convert gold into powdered form and thereafter mix the gold with some substances and make it into a compound which physically will be in the form of a paste. The paste is hidden in the waist belt worn by the carriers," the agency alleged.
It is alleged that Rajnish Kumar Saroh, Superintendent of Central Taxes, GST; Sudarshan Kumar, the then Inspector of Customs at Kempegowda International Airport Ltd., Bengaluru; and Shiv Kumar Meena, Inspector Customs, Air Intelligence Unit at the airport were hand in gloves with the people involved in the smuggling allowing them to go scott free.
Saroh entered into criminal conspiracy with the smugglers based in west asia to let passengers bringing gold come out of the Customs checking zone without any trouble, the agency alleged.
The officials were working in collusion with N T Jamsheer, who is the owner of Best Way Super Market in Bengaluru and was in contact with various smugglers and investors located in Dubai, the agency alleged.
Saroh used to receive Rs 75,000 from Jamsheer while Rs 15,000 was being paid to Sudarshan Kumar and Meena for each courier, the agency alleged.
The smugglers selected passengers who were not in the suspect list and their details were sent in advance to Jamsheer who passed them on to Saroh, it said.
Saroh allegedly checked customs database and intimated Jamsheer if selected couriers were in the list of suspects or not, the CBI alleged.
He also used services of Sudarshan Kumar posted at KIAL from August, 2017 to August, 2018 and thereafter that of Shiv Kumar Meena in the conspiracy, CBI FIR has alleged.
Once clearance about couriers was received from Saroh, the smugglers sent them with illicit gold which was let go at the airport by the accused officials, the agency alleged.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
