CHENNAI: The Madras High Court deprecated an officer of the Customs department for forcibly seizing the gold ornaments, including ‘thaali kodi’, of a Sri Lankan woman at the Chennai international airport without respecting the sentiments attached to it. The court said the “intolerable act” amounts to annihilating the customs of the Hindu religion and the culture of this country.
Justice Krishnan Ramasamy made the remarks while quashing the confiscation order issued by the Customs department. In the recent order, he said, “Without understanding the importance of ‘thaali kodi’ (mangalsutra), the officer had asked the petitioner to remove it, and as she refused, the officials snatched it from her neck.
The act amounts to annihilating the customs of the Hindu religion and the culture of this country. At any cost, the act is intolerable.” He called the behaviour “clearly unbecoming of an officer”.
The matter pertains to the petition filed by the woman, Thanushika — spouse of SL national Jeyakanth, who resides in France. After they solemnised their marriage at Madhurantagam in 2023, Jeyakanth left for France and she went to Sri Lanka.
After he returned to take her to France, Thanushika and her in-laws arrived at Chennai on a flight on December 30, 2023. While subjecting them to a check-up, the second respondent — Mythili, seizing officer of the Customs Department — questioned her about the jewellery she was wearing.
She said they were her ‘shridhanam’ provided during marriage, but the officer forcibly removed her ‘thaali kodi’ weighing 88 gm and bangles weighing 45 gm, along with the ornaments of her five in-laws, besides detaining them for 12 hours.
The judge quashed the confiscation order dated April 24, 2024, on the grounds that it was passed without issuing a show cause notice, without allowing personal hearing, and false information in the mahazar.
He ordered the respondent authorities to return the ornaments by a week and directed the principal chief commissioner of customs (TN and Puducherry) to conduct a probe and file a report. He also directed the Department of Personnel and Training (IRS-Customs) to hold an inquiry against Mythili.