Kerala MP says son disrobed at airport over gold smuggling suspicion

Muslim League Rajya Sabha member Abdul Wahab has sent a letter to Union finance minister Nirmala Sitaraman complaining that his son was detained at Thiruvananthapuram airport for hours together and forcibly taken for X- ray examination in a hospital by customs authorities suspecting him to be a gold smuggler.

Wahab said his son was initially subjected to a thorough body check and his luggage was screened repeatedly. The MP further said that his son was disrobed and later forcibly taken to a nearby hospital to take X- ray on the suspicion that he hid yellow metal in private parts or swallowed it. He said officials continued to check him even after he told them that he was son of a member of Parliament.

The MP said the incident occurred on November 1 when his son arrived on an Air Arabia flight from Sharjah and he was let off as no gold was found after X- ray examination.

“It was an inhuman treatment. Despite revealing his identity and credentials harassment continued. We want strict action against customs officials who flouted all norms and detained him,” the MP told Hindustan Times over phone from Nilambur in Malappuram district. He said usually a magistrate’s permission was needed for X- ray examination in such circumstances.

“He was subjected to mental agony and humiliation. It was a serious rights violation. I agree, we need strict action against smugglers. But all passengers cannot be treated like this,” he said adding he sent the letter to minister two days ago. The issue came to light on Saturday after the MP narrated the incident in a public function in Malappuram.

A senior customs official, who did not want to be identified,admitted that “it was a case of mistaken identity”. He said the department got a tip-off that a man carrying the same name in Air Arabia flight would be smuggling large quantities of gold. He said the customs commissioner has started a probe and action will be taken against officials if they found erred.