Smuggling case: DRI picks up four for interrogation; unaccounted gold worth ₹50 cr recovered

Now, the DRI is likely to file an FIR in the matter at the Pheelkhana police station in Kanpur, said officials aware of the developments.

KANPUR Two city-based bullion traders and two of their employees have been held for their alleged involvement in the case involving the smuggling of gold from Bangladesh to India. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has taken the four accused into custody for interrogation.

Unaccounted gold worth ₹50 crore and ₹64 lakh in cash have been recovered from these traders. (HT Photo)

Unaccounted gold worth ₹50 crore and ₹64 lakh in cash have been recovered from these traders. Now, the DRI is likely to file an FIR in the matter at the Pheelkhana police station in Kanpur, said officials aware of the developments.

The raids were made in Kanpur after an arrest was made at the Fatehpur railway station. The arrested man led to the recovery of 2,400 grams of gold from a man arrested in Mirzapur. Both these men took the names of two Kanpur-based bullion traders during interrogation and said that the duo facilitated the smuggling of gold from Bangladesh via Kolkata.

The raids were conducted on Wednesday at the office of bullion traders in Annapurna Bhavan in Nayagunj, their house, and their residences in Civil Lines. “The teams spent more than 12 hours at these places and seized documents related to the sale and purchase of gold and silver,” said an official, who added the two traders and two of their employees were taken to Lucknow for further questioning.

At present, 17 more bullion traders are under DRI’s radar. They are from Lucknow, Kanpur, and Kolkata. DRI is trying to expose the nexus behind the gold smuggling ring.