Chennai: Ten days after an elderly air passenger filed a complaint alleging harassment by customs officials at Chennai airport, police arrested the complainant on Saturday based on a counter complaint by the customs department.
Investigations revealed that the 70-year-old man, S. Jamal, who filed the complaint is a habitual offender and also has smuggling cases pending against him. “Jamal indulges in such antics to evade detention by customs personnel,” a police officer said. Airport police registered a FIR based on a complaint from customs officials and arrested the septuagenarian on several charges including not allowing government servant to perform duty among others.
The Mannadi resident, who had arrived in an Air India flight from Dubai around 5 am October 1 along with three other passengers was intercepted by customs superintendents and gold chains were seized from their hand baggage. The passengers were then levied a fine of Rs 70,000 each for not declaring gold jewellery following which an argument broke out between the officials and the passengers, who claimed that the customs officials seized the chains they were wearing. Jamal later filed a police complaint against two superintendents of Chennai Customs. He was remanded to judicial custody.
