The Customs Preventive Commissionerate here has removed two officials from service, sending out a strong message to its officials against abetting smuggling.
Sumit Kumar, Customs Commissioner (Preventive), Cochin, issued the dismissal orders of Radhakrishnan B., Superintendent of Customs, on February 18 while Rahul Pandit, Inspector of Customs, was dismissed the day after.
Radhakrishnan stands accused of attempted smuggling of nearly 25 kg of gold worth around ₹8.17 crore through the Thiruvananthapuram international airport on May 13, 2019.
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Rahul and three other Customs officials were charged with attempted smuggling of over 11 kg of gold through the Kannur airport on August 19, 2019.
Both were arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and suspended from service, which had been extended multiple times since then by a Customs Committee.
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The duo initially managed to secure bail but went absconding as soon as the Central Economic Intelligence Bureau issued a detention order under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act.
“Absconding is an offence in itself since an officer under suspension is not supposed to leave the station without permission,” said Mr. Kumar.
One arrested
The DRI eventually nabbed Radhakrishnan when he turned up before the Additional SP of the Central Bureau of Investigation, Kochi unit, which had also a case registered against him and was about to attach his properties under the Cr.PC. Though put behind the bars, he continued to influence the witnesses and the investigation officer from the prison, sources said. Rahul is still absconding.
“A call was made to dismiss them after due process of law under Rule 19 of the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965. Dismissals in less than a year is unprecedented and will serve a strong message that job loss and other punishments are a certainty if the staff abet smuggling,” said Mr. Kumar.
Charges
While Radhakrishnan was accused of facilitating smuggling, Rahul allegedly recruited pliable officers through bribery.