CBI Unearths e-bribery racket at Mumbai CSMT Intl. Airport
CBI Unearths e-bribery racket at Mumbai CSMT Intl. Airport
Following reports and stung over the digital extortion at Mumbai Int’l airport, Custom dept have launched a special helpline for harassment complaints
As per Senior officials the ugly incident has impacted on the department’s reputation.
The bizzare extortion of passengers by Customs officials at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport has also opened the eyes of the top brass of Customs who are viewing it in a very serious manner.
Notably, the helpline is the brainchild of Chief Customs Airport Commissioner Roopam Kapoor. He addressed the Customs Superintendent and Preventive Officers recently at the Yoga Hall of Terminal 2 at Sahar, expressing deep concern over increasing complaints against the staff. He sensitised them about appropriate behaviour towards passengers.
According to Kapoor, they have discussed inviting suggestions on how to ensure smooth and hassle-free passenger movement sans affecting the enforcement work. The Airport Commissioner will continue to engage in a dialogue with the officers posted at the airport. He added that the number of passengers arriving at the airport has touched nearly five lakh this month and screening of baggage by customs officials needs to be discontinued at the baggage hall for quick movement. It is learnt that the Airport plagued with cases of extortion and harassment
Mumbai airport is plagued with cases of extortion and harassment, with customs officers demanding illegal gratification.
Last week the sleuths of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) busted an organised racket by officials collecting digital extortion by Gpay accounts of airport loaders and baggage handlers. Passengers were threatened with false cases of smuggling gold and electronics.
It also comes to light that CBI money collected through e-bribery is being used to fund foreign trips of IRS officers
Digital trail of payments led the CBI investigation
Sleuths of Customs had arrested Kumar Alok, Customs Superintendent a few days ago.
Ironically, eight loaders were found to have collected ₹18-30 lakh each in the last six months of being posted at the airport. The digital trail of payments led the CBI investigation to international flight and hotel bookings of senior IRS officers made from the same Gpay accounts used for extortion.
The dedicated helpline launched for complaint redressal, will be operational 24×7 according to Airport Commissioner Manish Mani Tiwari.The customs department displayed the dedicated numbers +91 8655079770 monitored by the Deputy Commissioner of Customs, Uniform Batch and +91 8655040096 monitored by the Additional Commissioner of Customs.
However, regular flyers claimed the initiative is a futile exercise as the Customs Zone is a mobile blind spot.
News Input K.V.Raman
