KOCHI: The emigration officer who was arrested in connection with the smuggling of around 1,500 kg of gold through the Nedumbassery airport was one among the 22 officials who were recalled by the State Police Chief upon termination of their deputation at the airport.
The officials, who were directed to report at their parent organisation, have been trying to cancel the order saying that terminating their deputation would affect the normal functioning of the Emigration Wing. They supported their argument by providing inflated air traffic figures.
The fact is that the officials posted at the Emigration SP office at the Cochin International Airport (CIAL), have been hibernating at airport for the past two years as ministerial staff, even after the SP office was closed down when the Bureau of Immigration took over the Emigration Wing.
(left) CIAL’s former immigration assistant Jibin K Basheer and his brother Mebin, arrested in connection with gold smuggling, being escorted out of Ernakulam General Hospital after medical checkup. Basheer at the X-ray wing of the hospital | Kaviyoor Santosh
The official was arrested two days ago, after the ‘Express’ recently reported that officials posted at the administrative office of the SP were continuing as ministerial staff on temporary work arrangement, without any deputation benefit. Meanwhile, officials of the Customs Department said they did not receive any evidence to suggest the involvement of any other official posted at the airport in gold smuggling incidents.
The Customs Department arrested 32 persons, including 25 former and present ground handling staff of the airport, for involvement in gold smuggling, ever since ‘Express’ unveiled the security chinks at the airport that helped smugglers transport large quantities of gold illegally.
The arrested airport staff confessed to the sleuths that they were instrumental in smuggling in over 500 kg of gold through the domestic terminal of the airport.
It is learnt that the smuggling syndicate used to pay Rs 35,000-50,000 for every one kg of gold smuggled through the airport.
Ironically, none of the leading jewellers allegedly involved in the gold smuggling business has been booked so far, despite there being incriminating evidence against them.
Together, the Customs agencies seized only 250.88 kg of gold from carriers in the last financial year, even after arresting 104 persons.
When asked, the SIIB officials told ‘Express’ they were in the process of gathering additional evidence against two leading jewellery groups in central Kerala and Malabar, which are suspected to have colluded with the smugglers.
The arrested official was produced at the residence of the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (Economic Offence Court), Ernakulam, on Sunday evening, and was remanded in judicial custody.
