Kochi: The customs department has issued summons to senior office-bearers of Plus Max Group, Airport Authority of India (AAI), and a customs officer in connection with the alleged illegal sale of liquor by the duty-free shop in Trivandrum airport.
Plus Max has been running a duty-free shop, licensed by the AAI. The customs officer was allegedly involved in leaking travel data. The summons were sent to the director of Plus Max, Pragadish Kumar, R Sundaravasan, the CEO now under custody, customs superintendent Luke K George and airport director George G Tharakan, among others.
"The department wants to ask the airport director about the contract on which the company was allowed to run the shop. It is important to find out how such a company got the licence," a source said.
Airport director Tharakan said the AAI has been cooperating with the investigation.
"The whole issue is between the duty-free shop and the customs department. We are a party only because we collect a monthly rental. We have given the relevant documents to the customs," he said.
Meanwhile, it was learnt that other agencies, including the CBI, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Registrar of Companies have conducted preliminary investigation in the case.
TOI had reported on April 23 that data of at least 13,000 international travellers were leaked from airlines' manifest.
The details were compromised between September 2017 and April this year for purchases from the shop run by Plus Max. It has been estimated that the alleged fraud helped a tax evasion of over Rs 6 crore.
Sources said the customs investigation into the data leak and illegal liquor sale had revealed multiple violations of rules by the customs superintendent. "The officer did not cooperate with the investigation. Besides, he ignored summons to appear before the customs. Also, he was transferred to another department and was to present himself before commissioner (accounts) which he is yet to do. He then went absconding," the source said.
23/06/18 Times of India
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Plus Max has been running a duty-free shop, licensed by the AAI. The customs officer was allegedly involved in leaking travel data. The summons were sent to the director of Plus Max, Pragadish Kumar, R Sundaravasan, the CEO now under custody, customs superintendent Luke K George and airport director George G Tharakan, among others.
"The department wants to ask the airport director about the contract on which the company was allowed to run the shop. It is important to find out how such a company got the licence," a source said.
Airport director Tharakan said the AAI has been cooperating with the investigation.
"The whole issue is between the duty-free shop and the customs department. We are a party only because we collect a monthly rental. We have given the relevant documents to the customs," he said.
Meanwhile, it was learnt that other agencies, including the CBI, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Registrar of Companies have conducted preliminary investigation in the case.
TOI had reported on April 23 that data of at least 13,000 international travellers were leaked from airlines' manifest.
The details were compromised between September 2017 and April this year for purchases from the shop run by Plus Max. It has been estimated that the alleged fraud helped a tax evasion of over Rs 6 crore.
Sources said the customs investigation into the data leak and illegal liquor sale had revealed multiple violations of rules by the customs superintendent. "The officer did not cooperate with the investigation. Besides, he ignored summons to appear before the customs. Also, he was transferred to another department and was to present himself before commissioner (accounts) which he is yet to do. He then went absconding," the source said.
23/06/18 Times of India
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