Dhinesh Kallungal By

Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: One can expect more skeletons to tumble out of the Customs closet if the probe into the alleged tax evasion at the duty free shop at the Trivandrum airport using the passport details of around 13,000 passengers, is not compromised. A senior Customs officer in the investigation team revealed the fraudsters could get possession of the manifest of around 18 airline companies operating at the airport.

The preliminary investigation pointed out the Customs officers and Airport Authority of India (AAI) staff had misused their positions to aid the illegal smuggling of foreign liquor into the local market using the travel details of international passengers without their consent. In addition, the Customs have issued summons to the station managers of 18 airline companies at the airport, asking them to explain on what ground they gave the airline manifest to the duty free shop authorities.

The CBI, which held a preliminary probe into the fraud, will hand over the report to its directorate seeking permission to register an FIR in the case as there is a gross violation of rules in the offence, said a senior CBI officer. It is expected the CBI would register an FIR in the case in a week, he said, adding the preliminary probe found a section of the AAI and Customs officers worked hand in glove to aid the smuggling. The officers investigating the case pointed out the company named Plus Max seemed to have a connection with a prominent political party in Tamil Nadu and it is suspected it is run by the political family. But it can be ascertained only after a detailed probe, said officers.

IT is also suspected there were irregularities in awarding contract to the company to run the duty free shop inside the airport. Similarly, the airline companies are believed to have handed over their manifest to the company following the direction of the AAI and Customs officers. Ever since the fraud came to light, there was severe pressure on Customs to scuttle the investigation into the case and transfer the Customs officers in charge of the investigation.

However, Customs Commissioner Sumit Kumar told Express the department would go ahead with the probe and bring all the accused involved in the crime before the court of law. It cannot be cowed down by simply exerting pressure on officers, he said. He had suspended the licence of Plus Max after the private duty free shop allegedly used the passport details of around 13,000 international passengers who travelled through the airport during the period from September to December 2017 to divert the foreign liquor from the duty free shop at the airport to local grey market, causing an initial loss of around Rs 6 crore as duty to the exchequer.

AT A GLANCE

■ Customs issued summons to station managers of 18 airline companies

■ Customs, AAI officers are under investigating agencies’ lens

■ The CBI is expected to register FIR in the case in a week as the agency submitted a preliminary report confirming the fraud

■ Plus Max seems to have a connection with a prominent politicalparty in Tamil Nadu