CBI Investigates Chennai Customs Officials for Fake Gold Scam

New Delhi, Sep 3 (PTI) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against four customs officials for allegedly assisting in the export of counterfeit gold jewelry worth Rs 487 crore from Chennai airport. This was reportedly done to claim a customs duty refund, and the officials allegedly received Rs 6.99 crore as bribes for their complicity.

The CBI FIR claims that an inquiry revealed how some exporters, in collaboration with customs officials at the Air Cargo Complex, fraudulently exported fake jewelry in exchange for imported gold through designated agencies. According to the allegations, these officials cleared the fake jewelry, presenting it as genuine, after accepting bribes.

The investigation has highlighted that gold bullion imported from Gulf countries was sold in the domestic market. In a bid to get the customs duty refund on imported gold, the suspected jewelers resorted to exporting counterfeit jewelry, the CBI alleged.

The scandal came to light in 2022 when the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) intercepted one of these consignments. Subsequently, the CBI registered its FIR based on a complaint from the DRI, outlining the involvement of several customs officials.

Superintendent J Suresh Kumar is accused of facilitating the export of 7,38,981.8 grams of counterfeit jewelry, which was primarily copper but gold-plated, with a purported value of Rs 299.52 crore. Similarly, Superintendent Alok Shukla allegedly enabled the export of fake jewelry worth Rs 38.87 crore, and appraiser N Samuel Deepak Avinash allegedly oversaw the clearance of counterfeit jewelry valued at over Rs 149 crore.

Reports from the DRI suggest that an arrangement existed where officials received Rs 50 per gram for clearing counterfeit jewelry for export, amounting to an approximate payout of Rs 5.99 crore. These officials, together with Customs Superintendent P Thulasi Ram, have been named in the CBI’s complaint.

Additionally, the FIR lists four exporters and jewelers — Deepak Siroya, Santosh Kothari, Sunil Parmar, and Sunil Sharma — as accused, along with Customs House Agent A Mariappan.