Bengaluru, Jun 6: The Department of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized more than nine kg gold worth Rs 6.29 crore, an official said on Thursday.
According to the DRI official, these seizures were made on Tuesday morning.
In the first case, the DRI authorities got specific input that a syndicate would conceal gold inside an aircraft.
"The officers of DRI Bengaluru rummaged the Thai Airways flight, from Bangkok, which landed at Bangalore International Airport. The rummaging resulted in recovery of 6.834 kg of gold in bar form and crude form concealed inside abandoned hand bags in the aircraft," the official said in a statement.
Based on the documents found inside the handbags and inputs from the crew, the officers identified the passengers who allegedly left the bags in the aircraft and intercepted two passengers.
After a detailed interrogation, the passengers accepted the gold was concealed by them inside the aircraft, the officer said.
The gold was valued at Rs 4.77 crore by the government-certified assayer. The passengers were arrested and further investigation is in progress.
Hours after the first recovery on Tuesday, 2.18 kg of gold in bar form was recovered and seized by officers of the DRI on rummaging of Emirates flight which arrived from Dubai at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru.
The contraband was concealed in the front lavatory of the aircraft. The gold was valued at Rs 1.52 crore by the government certified assayer.
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Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday adjourned till December 10 the hearing on the plea seeking transfer of the investigation into the MUDA site allotment scam to the CBI. The plea was filed by activist Snehamayi Krishna doubting the credibility of Lokayukta investigation into the matter.
The petitioner told PTI that he approached the HC saying he has no faith in the Lokayukta police and hence the case should be handed over to the CBI.
In the MUDA case, it is alleged that compensatory sites were allotted to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife in an upmarket area in Mysuru, which had higher property value as compared to the location of her land which had been "acquired" by the MUDA.
The MUDA had allotted plots to Parvathi under a 50:50 ratio scheme in lieu of 3.16 acres of her land, where it developed a residential layout.
Under the controversial scheme, MUDA allotted 50 per cent of developed land to the land losers in lieu of undeveloped land acquired from them for forming residential layouts. It is alleged that Parvathi had no legal title over this 3.16 acres of land at survey number 464 of Kasare village, Kasaba hobli of Mysuru taluk.
The Karnataka Lokayukta police and the Enforcement Directorate have launched an investigation into the 'scam'.
The CM has denied any wrongdoing in the alleged scam.