NEW DELHI: The two officers have preferred individual complaints to the Deputy Commissioner (Air Customs) S. Sivaprasad, but do not want their names to be disclosed. “Their complaints have been forwarded to our higher-ups. We will ensure that police cases are filed through the SP, Malappuram. Both officers have been active in anti-smuggling operations. We also have intelligence inputs about the threats,” Mr. Sivaprasad said.
Sources told here on Wednesday that the issue has already been taken up by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and the Union Ministry of Finance. What has apparently irked the extremist groups is a probe into the recovery of 3.2 kg of gold from a toilet in the airport’s emigration hall on November 25, and its reported links to the seizure of Rs.2.5 crore worth of hawala money from the Olavakkode railway station on December 7.
The sources say the threatening groups want the two customs officers shunted out after raising charges against them such as harassing air passengers at the airport. For that, they have employed a bunch of local organisations and NRI forums.
The sources say the latest case of alleged harassment is that of a passenger who flew down from Dubai last week. He had complained that he had been physically and verbally abused for concealing gold ornaments in his baggage. Incidentally, the Karipur police had registered a case against this passenger under Section 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the Indian Penal Code.
The Air Intelligence Unit of the Calicut airport has been proactive with the wing seizing contraband gold worth Rs.106 crore in 2014 and Rs.116 crore as of December 10, 2015. About 80 per cent of the cases are associated with Kasaragod, Koduvally, and Kannur.
Investigations in these cases have been completed and show-cause notices for fine and personal penalty notices served on the accused. Adjudications have been carried out in many of them and the accused have also remitted the penalties. Prosecution would be initiated in cases where the amount of seizures is above Rs.20 lakh, the sources said.
