New Delhi: Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has expressed shock and support for an ongoing investigation after a former aide was detained at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport for allegedly attempting to smuggle gold worth ₹35 lakh.
The aide, identified as Shiv Prasad, was intercepted by Customs officials on Wednesday at Terminal 3 of IGI Airport. A search revealed that he was carrying over 500 grams of gold, for which he could not provide satisfactory explanations.
Tharoor, currently in Dharamshala for campaigning, addressed the incident in a statement on X (formerly Twitter). “While I am in Dharamshala for campaigning purposes, I was shocked to hear of an incident involving a former member of my staff who has been rendering part-time service to me in terms of airport facilitation assistance,” he wrote.
“He is a 72-year-old retiree undergoing frequent dialysis and was retained on a part-time basis on compassionate grounds. I do not condone any alleged wrongdoing and fully support the authorities in their efforts to take any necessary action. The law must take its own course,” Tharoor added.
This development comes as Tharoor, a former Union Minister and the current MP from Thiruvananthapuram, gears up for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections where he faces Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar. Chandrasekhar seized the opportunity to criticize his opponent, suggesting a broader issue within the Congress and CPM parties.
“First CM Secy involved in gold smuggling, now Cong MP aide/PA detained for gold smuggling. CPM and Cong – both INDI alliance partners – alliance of gold smugglers,” Chandrasekhar stated on X.
The allegations and subsequent investigation into Prasad’s activities add a layer of complexity to Tharoor’s campaign as he contends with these accusations amid the heightened scrutiny of election season.
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