KOCHI: The CBI has started investigation against a former junior customer agent of a public sector company engaged in ground handling service at the Karipur airport, for allegedly facilitating gold smuggling. The CBI had last month registered an FIR against Sidheeque M V, of Mampuram, Malappuram, who was a Junior Customer Agent with Air India Air Transport Services Ltd, a subsidiary company of Air India, which operates ground handling service at the airports across India.
On April 26, 2017, Directorate Revenue Intelligence (DRI) intercepted Sidheeque at the main entrance of the international departure area and seized two gold bars weighing 1 kg each from him. The gold bars, having 24-carat purity, were concealed inside leather pouch kept at the back pockets of his pants. The gold bars were worth `58,70,000. The DRI found the gold was brought by a passenger who arrived on a flight at the airport the previous day.
On April 25, Sidheeque was deployed at the check-in counter on system boarding duty of Air India flight afternoon shift. He was working at the airport since November 9, 2016. After the incident, Sidheeque was suspended. The case was registered under IPC sections 120B and 420 and section 13(2) and 13(1) (d) of Prevention of Corruption Act. The FIR of the case was filed before the CBI C ourt in Kochi.
FIR registered last month
The CBI had last month registered an FIR against Sidheeque M V, of Mampuram, Malappuram, who was a Junior Customer Agent with Air India Air Transport Services Ltd, a subsidiary company of Air India