Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Oct 8: In connection with the recovery of Rs 1.20 crore stashed away inside the back seat of a car that had been stopped and checked near Uppala when it was moving towards Kasargod from the city by a customs team which had intercepted it on September 30, the officials raided a jewellery store and flat in the city belonging to a person named Rajendra Pawar, basically from Maharasthra, on Sunday October 7. During the raids, the officials reportedly recovered some important documents. In the meanwhile, several spots in Kasargod were also raided simultaneously.
During raid in Kasargod on October 1
After the recovery of cash inside the car, the officials had arrested the car driver, Basheer (55) a resident of Kunnil. They had also raided a rented house on Kote Road, Kasargod, and taken into possession gold weighing 1.5 kg that had been concealed.
During the raids on the jewellery store at car street here and his flat, Pawar could not be found. As the officials have suspicion that he might have fled to Mumbai, they have expanded their probe to Mumbai and roped in the Mumbai customs team for investigation. It is said that the customs officials have also been keeping close eye on the residences of two political leaders from Badiadka in connection with this haul.
During the raid on a rented house at Kasargod on October 1, a person named Ramachandra Patil (27) from Sangli, Maharashtra, who is adept at gold carving work, had been taken into possession. During interrogation of Patil and Basheer, the officials learnt that Rajenrdra Pawar, who run jeweellery business in the city was the kingpin of the entire operation. The customs officials believe that Pawar had indulged in illegal smuggling of gold and peddling of black money to the tune of Rs 100 crore.
As per the customs officials, Pawar is engaged in smuggling of gold into the country from the Gulf region through the local and Kozhikode airports. Once the gold reaches Kasargod, it is melted and then sold to other jewellery shops. This network has several links in the Gulf region.
The probe is currently led by customs Kannur division assistant commissioner, O Pradeep, and Kasargod customs superintendent, P P Rajeev.