CBI books customs officials for smuggling gold

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has booked two superintendents of the customs and five persons for alleged gold smuggling in June 2019, officials said on Friday.

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has booked two superintendents of the customs and five persons for alleged gold smuggling in June 2019, officials said on Friday.

The agency has booked Customs Superintendents Somnath Chaudhary and Sujeet Kumar, besides Sajhan Jahangir Chowdhury, Shahidul Jahangir Chowdhury, Mohamad Mohamadsarfraj Mansuri, Shamim and Mohammad Azam. The complaint from the principal commissioner, customs, Ahmedabad, had alleged that Mohamad Mohamadsarfraj Mansuri and Shahidul Jahangir Chowdhury were caught with smuggled gold in the form of 1.8 kg paste, 1.4 kg of 24-carat gold chain, 10 kg of Iranian saffron and 4,000 packets of gutkha at SVP International Airport, Ahmadabad, on June 27, 2019.

Sajhan Chowdhury runs a gold refinery and a jewellery shop at Vapi, Gujarat.

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'It was further alleged that the private persons in connivance with two then superintendents of customs, had indulged in smuggling of gold chains, gold bars and other goods in commercial quantities running into crores of rupees through SVP International Airport, Ahmedabad,' CBI spokesperson R C Joshi said.

He said searches were conducted at the residential and official premises of the accused.

PTI