Congress leader Shashi Tharoor expressed shock upon learning that a former staff member, Shiv Prasad, was detained at the Delhi airport for allegedly attempting to smuggle gold. Prasad was apprehended at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport with gold valued at Rs 35 lakh.
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 is a 72 year old retiree undergoing frequent dialysis and…
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) May 30, 2024
Shashi Tharoor, currently in Dharamshala for campaign purposes, addressed the incident on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “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 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 as may be required to investigate the matter. The law must take its own course.”
Sources reported that Prasad was detained by Customs officials at Terminal 3 of IGI Airport on Wednesday. A search revealed that he was carrying over 500 grams of gold. During questioning, Prasad failed to provide satisfactory explanations for possessing the precious metal.
Shashi Tharoor, a former Union Minister, is the current Member of Parliament from the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency. In the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Tharoor is competing against Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar. Responding to the incident, Chandrasekhar criticized Tharoor, alleging that the Congress and CPM form an “alliance of gold smugglers.”
As investigations continue, Tharoor maintains his stance on supporting the authorities and insists on the due process of law.
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