Gold smuggling at IGI airport: Court denies bail to accused

A man, who was accused of smuggling 760 gold coins worth Rs 1.33 crores from Dubai and throwing them in a dustbin at the Delhi's IGI airport, was denied bail by a local court saying prima facie it appeared to be a case of customs duty evasion.

A man, who was accused of smuggling 760 gold coins worth Rs 1.33 crores from Dubai and throwing them in a dustbin at the Delhi's IGI airport, was denied bail by a local court saying prima facie it appeared to be a case of customs duty evasion.

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Special judge Gurvinder Pal Singh rejected the bail plea of accused Hameed Sultan Mohammed Ali, who had arrived at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport from Dubai on July 14 and had allegedly thrown five packets containing over six kg of gold into the dustbin of a toilet.

The court said that the accused did not deserve to be released on regular bail, at this stage, as there was a prima facie case of customs duty evasion by Ali.

According to the prosecution, Ali was intercepted at the exit gate of customs arrival hall of the IGI airport while he was coming out.

It claimed that on arrival at the airport, Ali had entered the toilet and had thrown five packets containing 760 gold coins in the dustbin of the toilet. Those packets were recovered at the instance of the accused as well as the sweeper of the toilet, customs officers said.

Ali's counsel, however, claimed his client was innocent and sought him to be enlarged on on bail. Ali was not connected with the smuggled goods, the counsel said adding there was no cogent evidence against him.