Outgoing Customs chief alleges bid to influence probe into high-profile Kerala gold smuggling cases
The Hindu
He terms the charge that the Centre is misusing Customs in Kerala as ‘absurd’
Outgoing Commissioner of Customs (Preventive) Sumit Kumar has said that there have been futile attempts to influence the probe into high-profile gold smuggling cases that rocked the State. Addressing the media, he said the Customs dealt with people and not political parties, when asked whether there was any political pressure. “None is above the law, however high he is, and no constitutional position grants one immunity,” he added. He termed as absurd the allegation that the Centre was “misusing” Customs in the State. “We will take action irrespective of the consequences. The State has no locus standi on Customs which is a Union subject. There was never an instance of diplomatic channel being misused for smuggling. Foreign diplomats [of UAE] too are part of the show cause notice issued by the agency,” he said.The election authorities are gearing up for the counting of votes cast in the simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, scheduled to be held on June 4. The Collectors and Election Officers of Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) districts said on May 23 (Thursday) that their teams were ready for the counting of votes.
Responding to the prolonged water scarcity, the residents of the area took to the streets in protest on Wednesday. The protest, which drew attention to their plight, stopped only after the intervention of the police. It was not until 1.30 p.m. that a 4000-litre tanker was finally delivered by BWSSB, providing relief to the water-starved residents.