By Ashraf Padanna/Thiruvananthapuram
The Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) is probing the role of celebrities as carriers in the increasing cases of smuggling in gold, mainly from Dubai, after the government sharply raised import duty to avert a balance of payment crisis.
The probe agency questioned the 2004 Miss South India, Shravya Sudhakar, for the second straight day yesterday and served a notice on Malayalam actor Mythili of Salt & Pepper and Palarimanikyam fame to appear for questioning.
Though film and television actor Chippy’s name was also doing the rounds, she told reporters here she had not received any notice and had no connection with the smuggling racket. The actor claimed she had never met Fayas, the smuggling kingpin detained by police.
While denying any link to activities of the gang that smuggled several kilograms of gold through southern Indian airports using women as carriers, Sudhakar told reporters that Mythili and Chippy were among the common friends of Fayas and she was introduced to Chippy by Mythili.
“I have met Mythili on one or two occasions as an actor and stage performer but we had no personal connections,” said Chippy who met reporters at her city residence here along with her producer-husband Ranjith.
The CBI sources, who were tightlipped about the role of celebrities in the racket - suspected to have supplied hundreds of kilograms of gold to the thriving gold traders in Kerala - later clarified that Sudhakar was speaking about a Chennai-based model called Muthu Chippy and not the heroine of the blockbuster movie Padheyam.
“We are all common friends of Fayaz but we knew nothing about his smuggling or his business activities. We used to contact him occasionally,” said the Chennai-based Sudhakar. “I know him well but I’m not involved in any illegal activities”.
She reportedly admitted to CBI officials that she had travelled with Fayaz to Dubai five times since she met him for the first time in May. However, she claimed that her brother used to accompany her in all her travels abroad, including the trips with the alleged smuggler.
Sudhakar claimed Mythili introduced her to Fayaz during a stage show in Dubai.
However, Mythili denied travelling with Fayaz, who was also allegedly in contact with a gang facing charges of killing dissident Marxist leader T P Chandrasekharan last year.
Claiming no involvement in the smuggling racket, Mythili said there were several people in her circle of friends and she was not aware of all their activities.
CBI sources said the model was co-operating with the investigation.
Officials were in possession of Fayas’ call list which showed details of several calls between the two. But no evidence to their role in the smuggling racket has yet come to light. The smuggling ring using women carriers was exposed after the arrest of two women carrying 20kg of gold concealed in specially stitched jackets by the directorate of revenue intelligence at the Cochin International Airport in September.
This was followed by the arrest of Fayaz and three customs officers, including deputy commissioner C Madhavan. Sudhakar reportedly told CBI that Fayas had also introduced her to Madhavan and other officers at the airport.
Last month, DRI officers arrested Hiromasa V Sebastine, 22, an air hostess with Air India, and her friend Rahila, 31, who works as a project manager with a Dubai firm, while allegedly trying to smuggle in 6kgs of gold.
Investigators say the duo was part of the Dubai-based racket.
Officials attribute the spurt in smuggling to the considerable price difference between Indian and international prices after the increase in import duty.
The duty-free allowance on gold, Rs50,000 for men and Rs100,000 for women, is applicable only for ornaments and not on the import of gold coins, biscuits and bars. A person coming from abroad after a continuous stay of six months can bring in gold up to 1kg in any form which attracts a customs duty of 10 percent and an education cess of 3%.
Smuggling attempts through the three international airports in Kerala, home to a large number of expatriate workers in the Gulf, is being reported almost every day.