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Aishwarya's dad visits customs office
Krishnaraj Rai met officials and explained the mystery cash that was sent to her, reports Manish Pachouly.
Aishwarya Rai’s father Krishnaraj visited Customs House in Ballard Pier on Wednesday to answer the queries regarding the mystery cash that was found in a parcel on the actor’s name.
The parcel containing some electronic items and 23,000 euros (approximately Rs 13.20 lakh) had come from Rotterdam in Netherland in September end. While the electronic items were declared, the cash was not.
The Customs authorities had sent two letters to Rai since the parcel was kept aside on suspicion and opened, but she did not respond to any of them. The parcel bore Rai’s Khar address. She presently stays in Bandra.
However, on Monday a senior Customs officer spoke to her secretary Hari Singh conveying the message that the actor has to visit Customs House this week.
A senior Customs officer said that Krishnaraj came to Customs House at around 12 noon and was there for about 30 minutes. Confirming his visit, A. K. Prasad, Commissioner of Customs, Import said that the response by Krishnaraj was satisfactory.
However, he refused to give details of the replies given by Krishnaraj. “He is not trying to hold back anything,” said Prasad adding that Rai would also visit Customs House. But he refused to reveal when she would visit.
However, another officer, on condition of anonymity said that Krishnaraj told the authorities that Rai would come next week to answer their further queries.
Ash’s lawyer Girish Kulkarni said that the actor doesn’t know the sender and also anything about the parcel.
He further claimed that the Customs has also not found Rai’s connection in the case. “They have not send anything to us. If they find that some clarification is necessary they will issue summons and we will attend,” he said.
About Rai visiting Customs House, he said that if there is something that requires explanation from Rai herself, only then she would go. Rai is currently shooting in Jaipur for Jodha-Akbar.
When asked when she would be back in Mumbai, Kulkarni said that it’s a long schedule. However, he said that if there is something that requires her presence, she would come whenever required.
Meanwhile, the Customs department would involve Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the case.
A senior Customs officer said that the DRI would be involved to investigate the overseas angle. The case would require overseas investigation as Rai’s lawyer has said that she doesn’t know the sender.
Rai too in an interview to a television channel in Jaipur said that she doesn’t know the sender. “In this situation, there would be no case against her and the focus of investigation would completely shift to the sender who is in Netherlands,” the officer said.
The name of the sender was mentioned in the parcel as Avineshwar. Sources in film industry said that he is an event manager.
Further, ED would be roped in as the illegal cash involves Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).
Interestingly, besides a DVD player of Xiron Company, a pair of binoculars, a T-shirt, there were two Nokia mobile phones the cost of which is meager.
Moreover, the production of these models is stopped now.
While the cost of model number 6150 (the last cost) was about Rs 4,800, the cost of model number 6610 was Rs 5,200.
The officer said that while the cash was seized and kept with the Customs authorities, the other material were sealed and sent back to Mumbai’s foreign post office where it had come.
