Gold Goes Missing From Delhi Customs - Again

By Vijay Kumar

DURING a recent inventorisation proceedings in the office of the Commissioner of Customs, IGI Airport, New Delhi a sealed packet was opened. As per the records, the sealed packet contained:

(i) Gold stick coated with white metal- 975 gms.

(ii) two Gold chain of primary gold total weighing- 220 gms

(iii) four Bangles of primary gold total weighing - 78gms. Gross Total net weight- 1273 gms. (Packed in Amul Spray metal container wrapped with white cloth).

On opening the packet, it was found to contain:

(i) One white coated metal strip weighing 975 gms, of gold and

(ii) one rectangular slab (cuboid) of yellow metal having dimensions- 8.6x4.9x1.2 cm, weighing 474 gms, made of non-precious metal (not gold).

No gold bangles or gold chains as mentioned in the DR 27676 dated 24.07.89, were found in the packet.

Delhi Customs has lodged an FIR with the IGIA Police that:

It appears that the contents i.e. two Gold chain of primary gold total weighing- 220 gms and four Bangles of primary gold total weighing- 78 gms were replaced with one rectangular slab (cuboid) of yellow metal (non-precious metal), which was not made of gold .

The Police is requested to register a case against unknown persons, who have done the said mischief and enquiry/investigation may be conducted accordingly to ascertain the facts and bringing the culprit awarding appropriate action.

Exactly a year ago in June 2015, the Customs had filed two FIRs complaining about replacement in ten more packets.

The present complaint relates to a seizure made in 1989 and the gold was supposed to be lying in the Customs vaults for more than a quarter of a century. This has to be a neat inside job as outsiders do not have access to Customs vaults. But in these 27 years, how many officers must have been in charge of the vault and who can be held responsible now?

Thousands of kgs of gold must be lying in several Customs warehouses all over the country. Obviously gold is not safe in these warehouses. Government should think seriously on the measures to protect this huge inventory of gold, though when the fence starts eating the crop, pretty little can be done.