KOCHI: Dramatic scenes unfolded at the Air Cargo Complex in Thiruvananthapuram airport on Monday when customs officials insisted on checking former UAE consul-general Jamal Hussain Al Zaabi’s baggage which was being sent to the Gulf country. An official of the UAE Consulate objected to the checking, citing diplomatic immunity.
Customs officials said as Al Zaabi is a suspect in four cases related to gold smuggling through the diplomatic baggage, it was decided to check the bags that were brought by a UAE diplomat to the cargo complex to be sent on a flight to Dubai. Last week, the former consul-general wrote to customs authorities on sending his belongings which he had left behind in Thiruvananthapuram. “When the former consul-general sought the permission, we had clarified that the baggage would be checked as he is a suspect in four cases,” a customs official said.
UAE diplomat refuses to cooperate with customs
“We had informed the matter to the Ministry of External Affairs and took permission. We had told the diplomats that the baggage would be examined in their presence which would be videographed,” a customs official said.However, the diplomat who brought the bags to the cargo complex did not cooperate with the agreed procedure. “The diplomat said he had to speak to the UAE ambassador to India before opening the baggage. He said that it was an unprecedented procedure.
However, we checked the bags and some electronic goods like mobile phones and hard discs were found. The entire procedure was videographed which started around noon. After checking and documentation, the cargo will be cleared before Tuesday morning,” the official said. He said Al Zaabi cannot claim diplomatic immunity for baggage movement as his term at the consulate ended last year. “He is no more the consul-general. There was nothing illegal in checking his baggage. But we took the permission of the ministry in the light of the gold smuggling that happened last year.”
Meanwhile, the NIA Court in Kochi on Monday permitted the customs to receive a copy of the confession statement given by accused Sandeep Nair to NIA in the gold smuggling case. Last year, when the customs made a similar bid to get the statement given by Sandeep under Section 164 of CrPC, the permission was denied as the case was in the investigation stage. The court decided to give the copy as NIA filed the chargesheet in the case.