New Delhi, Mar 12 (IANS): A special CBI court in Kerala has sentenced K.S. Chandrasekhar, a former Assistant Commissioner of Customs, Air Cargo Complex, Cochin International Airport, to three years rigorous imprisonment for cheating and fraud.

A fine of Rs 1,20,000 was also slapped on him.

The CBI had registered a case against Chandrasekhar, and others on the allegations that the accused entered into conspiracy with others during March 2008 to July 2008 and fraudulently misappropriated electronic items viz plasma TV and music sound system received from Kuwait as gift for a Thrissur-based resident.

Chandrasekhar did not release the said items to the consignee on the grounds that the consignee would pay duty of more than Rs 1 Lakh which would be more than the price of the said items and thereby making the consignee to abandon the said items.

The said electronic items were claimed as used items and got released under transfer of residence rule by paying a customs duty of Rs 4,635 showing the value of the electronic items as Rs 30,000.

The electronic items were transported to the wife of Chandrasekhar, at Bengaluru.

The accused used the said items as his household articles till their seizure by the CBI from his residence in 2012.

After investigation, a chargesheet was filed in 2018 against Chandrasekhar and two private persons before the Court of Special Judge-I, CBI, Ernakulam.

The trial Court found the accused guilty, while the two private persons were acquitted.