Smuggling racket: Search on for AI worker

The arrests came after the CISF had apprehended two persons on suspicion on March 24 outside T3. A check revealed that one of the persons,a passenger who had arrived from Singapore,had goods worth

Rs 27 lakh in his possession.

A review of the CCTV footage showed that the suspected passenger,Sanjay Nangia,never crossed the Green Channel with the contraband. The Customs also found that two Air India employees,both of whom are Nangia’s nephews,had helped him avoid the mandatory check.

An official said Nangia was picked up after the CISF noticed that he had “five suspected pieces of baggage”. AI sub-assistant commercial officer Mohit Bhandari was also arrested for “suspicious movement”.

“A detailed examination revealed professional digital video cameras,valued at Rs 27 lakh,inside the three checked-in bags,” a Customs official said.

Additional Commissioner of Customs (IGI) Ashutosh Baranwal told Newsline: “The passenger never crossed the Green Channel with the contraband.”

The CCTV footage revealed that Bhandari met Nangia at the baggage conveyor belt in the Arrival hall,along with another person who is yet to be arrested,officials said. The checked-in baggage was collected by Nangia,kept on baggage trolley and handed over to Bhandari.

“Nangia then went through the Green Channel with only one hand bag and a polybag containing two bottles of liquor. The other two,along with a loader,internally took the bags,now without tags,to the departure area and made an entry in the CISF register that the said baggage was ‘Direct Transit Baggage’,” said an investigating officer.

Further investigation led to the arrest of one Sanjeev Malhotra,resident of Rajouri Garden,said to be the mastermind in the racket. “In the follow-up search video cameras,lenses and imported accessories worth Rs 13 lakh were recovered and seized. Malhotra could not produce any documents for legal import or possession of these,” Baranwal said. “Malhotra had paid Nangia and his nephew $20,000 and Rs 2 lakh to smuggle the goods.”

The three have been arrested under Section 104 of the Customs Act,1962,and remanded in judicial custody till April 8.