Trying to smuggle out cameras,man caught outside IGI

The CISF immediately informed the Customs department,who took the baggage for a detailed examination. “We found 14 professional video cameras in the bag,valued at approximately Rs 25 lakh. Investigations are on in the case,” a Customs official said.

Officials said the accused is not economically well off,and there was no way he could have bought the expensive equipment himself. An investigating officer said Nagia is a father of two and is unemployed.

When contacted,Additional Commissioner Customs (IGIA),Ashutosh Baranwal said: “Even though the man seems to have involved an airport official in crossing the Green Channel and taking his bag out of the airport without being caught,there are several technical issues that hamper our functioning. We have been asking operator DIAL to provide an X-Ray belt,but they have denied the request saying there is a centralised scanning room in place.”

Already fighting a manpower crunch,officials said there are also several technical glitches in the centralised scanning room before the baggage break-up area,and an average of 40 bags per 100 end up not being scanned properly. And it is due to such technical issues,Baranwal said,that baggage screening does not happen in a foolproof manner,even though the department has already diverted 15 of its officers to the scanning room.

CISF spokesperson Rohit Katiyar said: “The case could be cracked through the joint effort of the CISF and the Customs department,which reacted very promptly after Sanjay Nagia was held on suspicion.”

Baranwal said the Customs would suitably reward the CISF officials in this case. He added that the department was conducting a detailed study and checking CCTV footage to ascertain how Nagia could get out of the airport without being caught.