CHENNAI: BJP member GA Prithvi and Airports Authority of India (AAI) joint general manager Selvavinayagam appeared before the Chennai Customs a few days ago as part of the ongoing investigation into the 267 kg gold smuggling case, said sources.
Prithvi was the director of a firm, Vidvedaa PRG, which is the retail concessionaire at the Chennai airport.
Sources added that the Customs are investigating the role of Prithvi and Selvavinayagam in allegedly facilitating YouTuber Sabir Ali to get a contract and run the gift shop ‘Airhub’.
Sabir Ali and seven employees were arrested for allegedly smuggling 267 kg of gold in a nexus with Sri Lankan transit passengers in two months.Sabir was allegedly financed by a Sri Lankan gold smuggling syndicate.
The Customs team had searched a shop linked to Prithvi in a mall in Egmore a few days ago. According to sources, other shops running at Chennai airport, whose employees were found to be involved in smuggling, are also being investigated.