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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Delhi: Father, son held for killing 19-year-old woman in suspected honour killing
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi Police has arrested a man and his son for allegedly murdering his 19-year-old daughter in west Delhi's Hari Nagar area, an official said on Friday.
The case first came to light on April 1 after a PCR call was received around 2 pm, alleging that a woman had been killed by her family members and her body was being taken for last rites, he said.
The accused, identified as Mohammad Maneer (55), a vegetable vendor, and his son Meraj Ali (19), were arrested in connection with the case, the officer said.
The victim had been in a relationship with a man from her native place for the past two years, which was opposed by her father, Maneer and brother Meraj, he said.
"When the girl did not end the relationship despite objections, the family killed her," the officer said.
On April 1, the police said that when their team reached the spot, they found that the woman's body was being taken for burial.
Acting on the input, the burial process was stopped over suspicion of honour killing.
"Police intercepted the family members and took possession of the body," he said.
Police said that the man who had made the PCR told them that the woman was in love with his cousin.
During the inquiry, police also interacted with the PCR caller, who said his cousin, a friend of the deceased, had informed him about the situation and suspected foul play, prompting him to alert the police control room.
The body of the woman was subsequently shifted to the mortuary of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital for preservation and postmortem.
Police said that both the crime team and the forensic science laboratory (FSL) team were called to inspect the scene and collect evidence.
Police said that, as per the postmortem report, the cause of death was identified as smothering, indicating that the woman was suffocated.
A preliminary inquiry also revealed that the family had initiated preparations for the last rites soon after the woman's death, raising suspicion about the circumstances.
Initial investigation pointed to the family's opposition to the woman's relationship.
"The family members of the woman saw her with the man, and she was taken back home. We got to know that she was beaten up and even locked inside the house for some days," a source said.
Further investigation into the matter is underway, police added.
