Air intelligence union (AIU) officials of the customs department at Mumbai’s international airport on Wednesday intercepted Saleh Mohammad Sohail Yunus, 24, and seized Rs64 lakh in Indian currency, moments before he could board a 4 am Emirates Airline flight.
Customs officials, interrogating Yunus till late on Wednesday evening were stonewalled by the accused, who had shuttled between India and South Africa over 18 times since January.
Joint commissioner of customs Satish Kumar said, “The limit for carrying foreign currency out of India is $5,000, while Indian currency is not permitted to be carried out of the country. We have booked Yunus under the Foreign Currency Management Act (FEMA) as well as the Customs Act.”
The only information as yet revealed by the accused, who has resided in Johannesburg in South Africa for the last eight years, is that the money was part of the proceeds from some property he had sold in Johannesburg for which he had collected the money in Surat, Gujarat, the customs officials said.
Preliminary investigations by the AIU revealed that the currency notes of Rs500 and Rs1,000 denomination, hidden between denim jeans and other thick clothing in the baggage, was withdrawn from several banks in Surat on April 14 and 15. The accused has also stated that his brother’s family resides in Surat and that he was keen to procure some land in the region. He also claimed to own a perfume business.
Customs sleuths have learnt that his Indian passport was also issued to him from the Indian embassy in South Africa.
a_renni@dnaindia.net
