CBI files FIR against three Customs Inspectors

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JULY 25. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed an FIR against three customs officials attached to the Cargo Complex of the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport here accusing them of criminal conspiracy, official misconduct and misuse of official position for obtaining pecuniary advantage among other charges.

Highly placed CBI sources named the accused Customs officials as Chacko Eapen, Davies and Vijayakumar, all in the rank of Customs Inspectors. The CBI had filed a case against them after trapping the officials on the basis of a complaint filed by one Mrs. Mariamma Daniel, a resident of Pathanamthitta district.

Official sources said Mrs. Daniel, a 40-year-old woman employed as a housemaid in the Gulf, was returning home from her place of work for her daughter's marriage. She had availed of duty concessions under the Transfer of Residence norms to bring second hand goods, mostly clothes, as unaccompanied baggage.

On June 25, Mrs. Daniel reached the cargo complex to get her baggage cleared after paying the customs duty. The customs duty was fixed at Rs. 25,000 and later reduced to Rs. 5,500 after she pleaded with the Customs officers on duty, CBI officials said.

The CBI officials said that Mrs. Daniel's baggage was partly cleared after she paid Rs. 5,500 as demanded by the Customs Inspectors. However, a duty paid receipt of only Rs. 600 was issued to her. The rest of the money paid as duty was not accounted for by the Customs officers on duty at the cargo complex.

On June 27, Mrs. Daniel approached the CBI and registered a formal complaint. At the instance of the CBI team here, she called the Customs officials and engaged them in a conversation. She raised her grievances with the officials and told them how she was harassed at the cargo complex. She also told the Customs people that she was given a receipt for Rs. 600 against a payment of Rs. 5,500 as duty. Sources at the CBI said Mrs. Daniel spoke to at least five Customs officials over the telephone.

At the instance of the CBI, she told the Customs officials that she would lodge an official complaint. At this point, a Customs official offered apologies and said that he would return the money if only she would come to the petrol pump at Pattoor. What the Customs officials were not aware of at that time was that the conversation was being secretly recorded by the CBI in the presence of an independent witness.

At the instance of the CBI team, Mrs. Daniel told the Customs people to come to a restaurant at Kesavadasapuram. Sources at the CBI were staking out at the restaurant with an independent witness. Official sources said that Vijayan, a Customs Inspector, approached Mrs. Daniel and he was apprehended. Another set of Customs officials who were waiting outside the restaurant in a van sensed the trap and gave the CBI officials the slip.

Sources at the CBI said that more Customs officials would figure as accused in the case. The chargesheet would be filed before the CBI Special Court at Kochi.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : Govt. staff stir disrupts work
Next     : Two held with fake passport