Customs authorities at Delhi airport detained Shiva Kumar Prasad, a former aide to Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, on Wednesday for allegedly smuggling a 500-gram gold chain worth Rs 35 lakh. Prasad, who used an entry pass issued for a parliamentarian's staff, received the chain from Dharmender, a passenger arriving from Bangkok on Thai Airways.
The Customs Commissioner stated that suspicions led to the passenger from Bangkok being booked and further investigation uncovered Prasad's involvement. Prasad, who had come to the airport to receive Dharmender, was found with the gold chain inside the arrival hall.
Authorities are investigating how Prasad acquired the aerodrome entry permit, which he used as part of a protocol team for a member of parliament. Both men have been booked for smuggling, and the gold chain was seized under Section 110 of the Customs Act, 1962.
Reacting to the incident, Shashi Tharoor confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) that Prasad had worked part-time for him, providing airport assistance. Tharoor, the Thiruvananthapuram MP, explained that Prasad, 72, was retained on compassionate grounds. Tharoor assured authorities of his full cooperation and emphasized that he did not condone any wrongdoing, stating, "The law must take its own course."
