KOCHI: The state protocol department on Wednesday informed the NIA probing the gold smuggling through diplomatic channel that diplomats of the UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram had not approached it for Customs duty exemption to import any goods. Assistant Protocol Officer M S Harikrishnan appeared at the NIA office here after the agency sought details about the duty exemption certificates issued by the department to the consulate in the last two years and submitted a report.
“Such a certificate has to be issued either by the state protocol department or the Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). We will also seek information about the duty exemption certificate given by the MEA to the consulate. If such a certificate was not obtained to receive any diplomatic cargo, it would point to lapses at the airport as the goods were released by the Customs without following the guidelines for importing goods via the diplomatic channel,” an NIA officer said.
The Customs, which is also probing the case, too had sought the details from the protocol department about the duty exemption certificates granted to diplomats in the UAE Consulate in the past two years. The report was sent to the Customs by post.
As per the guidelines of the MEA’s protocol division, the ministry exempts the diplomatic missions in India from getting prior approval for import of goods worth up to `20 lakh or $33,000. However, a Customs Duty Exemption Certificate for each such consignment should be submitted with a self-certification and requisite documents to the MEA or the protocol department.
ED sleuths at NIA office
Three officials of Enforcement Directorate (ED) probing money laundering behind gold smuggling visited the NIA office. “The case registered by ED is based on the NIA’s probe. We cross-checked the statements given by the accused persons to both the agencies to find out whether there is any contradiction. The statements given by witnesses like the CM’s former principal secretary M Sivasankar were also cross-checked,” an official said.
A20L worth of imported goods do not need prior nod of MEA
The CBI will check whether any lapses took place on the part of Customs at T’Puram airport in releasing goods without the duty exemption certificate.