Seven Lankans held with 84 gold bars
May 8, 2011 10:18 am
MUMBAI: Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials on Friday arrested seven Sri Lankan nationals and one Mumbai resident for smuggling gold. The accused had 84 gold bars worth 2 crore INR in their possession.
Officials raided Hotel Kalandar in Dongri and arrested Cader Sultan, Abdul Raheem Ameen and Komu Jaljahan alias Abdullah and recovered 30 gold bars from them.
“On interrogation, the trio told us about four others staying at Hotel Aman at Masjid Bunder,” said an officer. Acting on this information, officials arrested Abdul Caderge alias Jessel, Abdul Nayeem, Mohoinuddin Gani Abdul Jabbar and Sehu Mohammed Sainuddin, and recovered 54 gold bars from them.
The arrested accused then told the DRI officials about the involvement of one Vanchanaram Vijay alias Mali, who lives in Tardeo. They told officials that Sur, Parvis and Kumar from Sri Lanka gave them the gold bars and asked them to deliver them to Mali.
Lawyer for the accused, Ravi Hirani, said the allegations were baseless. “My clients, who do not speak any Indian language, were on a tour of Mumbai when DRI arrested them in a false case,” he said.
Scrutiny of the passports showed that the Sri Lankans had made 25 trips to the city. DRI officials said the accused arrived in Mumbai from Colombo on Friday and walked through the green channel. The gold bars were wrapped in carbon paper. “We suspect the accused may be part of an international racket,” an officer said. (TOI)
Officials raided Hotel Kalandar in Dongri and arrested Cader Sultan, Abdul Raheem Ameen and Komu Jaljahan alias Abdullah and recovered 30 gold bars from them.
“On interrogation, the trio told us about four others staying at Hotel Aman at Masjid Bunder,” said an officer. Acting on this information, officials arrested Abdul Caderge alias Jessel, Abdul Nayeem, Mohoinuddin Gani Abdul Jabbar and Sehu Mohammed Sainuddin, and recovered 54 gold bars from them.
The arrested accused then told the DRI officials about the involvement of one Vanchanaram Vijay alias Mali, who lives in Tardeo. They told officials that Sur, Parvis and Kumar from Sri Lanka gave them the gold bars and asked them to deliver them to Mali.
Lawyer for the accused, Ravi Hirani, said the allegations were baseless. “My clients, who do not speak any Indian language, were on a tour of Mumbai when DRI arrested them in a false case,” he said.
Scrutiny of the passports showed that the Sri Lankans had made 25 trips to the city. DRI officials said the accused arrived in Mumbai from Colombo on Friday and walked through the green channel. The gold bars were wrapped in carbon paper. “We suspect the accused may be part of an international racket,” an officer said. (TOI)
