Days after Customs claimed to have busted a cartel for allegedly smuggling in gold via a souvenir shop as a front, a number of immigration officials were suspended at Chennai airport for their suspected links with the smugglers.
The government, however, did not disclose the number of officials suspended. A top Intelligence Bureau official, however, said at least three officials were placed under suspension. But, airport sources said there were many others.
The action comes after Customs busted a gold smuggling racket in which 267 kg gold, worth at least Rs 167 crore, was allegedly smuggled in via a souvenir shop at the Chennai airport’s international terminal, in just two months.
“The number is being under-reported to avoid scrutiny of the immigration section by other agencies such as Directorate of Revenue intelligence (DRI) and Customs,” an official told Times of India.
According to information available, the suspended officials are being suspected of taking a cut from the smugglers. They allegedly collected gold from couriers arriving at the airport and smuggled it out to receivers, and also allowed a number of flyers without proper verification of passports or documents.
An officer of the Intelligence Bureau, who did not want to be named, told ToI that a nexus of three officers with gold smugglers was being probed. One of the three officials is on deputation to the IB, the officer said. Action is being taken against the charges mentioned in a memo and the suspension order was issued only for internal procedural lapses, the officer added.
“We got intelligence that they allow flyers without verification of documents under the Emigration Check Not Required (ECNR) category. How long they have done this and the money trail are being probed. If their involvement in gold smuggling had been proved, they would have been booked by now,” the officer was quoted as saying.
Officials said a total of 45 immigration personnel, including state police personnel on deputation to the IB, are deployed at the Chennai airport for clearing international passengers.
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