Delhi Customs detained two individuals at Delhi airport on Wednesday for allegedly smuggling 500 grams of gold. One of the detainees claimed to be the personal assistant of Congress leader Shashi Tharoor. Reacting to the incident, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar commented that the CPM and the Congress are an “alliance of gold smugglers.”
“First a CM secretary involved in gold smuggling. Now a Congress MP’s aide/PA detained for gold smuggling. CPM and Congress—both INDI alliance partners—are an alliance of gold smugglers,” Chandrasekhar wrote on X.
The individual claiming to be associated with Tharoor has been identified as Shiv Kumar Prasad. Shashi Tharoor, the incumbent MP, is contesting the Lok Sabha elections from the Thiruvananthapuram constituency, which went to polls on April 26. The BJP has fielded Rajeev Chandrasekhar from the same seat.
“Based on suspicion, officers of Customs at IGI Airport, New Delhi, have booked a case of smuggling of gold against an Indian national who arrived at IGI Airport from Bangkok by flight TG-323 on Wednesday,” Delhi Customs said in a statement. Further investigations revealed the involvement of another person, it added.
Prasad was at the Delhi Airport to receive a passenger arriving from Dubai. Both were arrested when the passenger attempted to hand over approximately 500 grams of gold chain to Prasad.
“Prasad has an aerodrome entry permit card that allows him access to airport premises. He entered the airport premises and received a packet when he was held along with the passenger,” officials said.
Gold valued at Rs. 35.22 lakhs was seized under Section 110 of the Customs Act, 1962. The circumstances surrounding the acquisition of the permit, as part of the protocol team for a Member of Parliament, are under scrutiny, Delhi Customs said.
Shashi Tharoor expressed his shock at the incident involving a former member of his staff who provided part-time airport facilitation assistance. Tharoor clarified that the person is a 72-year-old retiree undergoing frequent dialysis and was retained on a part-time basis out of compassion.
“I do not condone any alleged wrongdoing and fully support the authorities in their efforts to take any necessary action to investigate the matter. The law must take its own course,” Tharoor said in an X post.
Customs authorities confirmed that both Prasad and the passenger were detained and 500 grams of gold were seized from their possession. The case is currently under investigation, and their credentials are being verified.
In 2020, Kerala was rocked by a gold scam following the Customs seizure of 30 kgs of gold at Thiruvananthapuram Airport from a diplomatic bag. The investigation was subsequently taken over by the NIA. M Sivasankar, the principal secretary to Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, was suspended and removed from his post amidst allegations of his links with one of the accused.
