"Law must take its own course": Shashi Tharoor after Customs detains his former aide for smuggling gold

New Delhi [India], May 30 : After Delhi Customs detained two people, one of whom claimed to be the personal assistant to Congress MP Shashi Tharoor in a case of alleged gold smuggling, the Congress leader distanced himself from any alleged wrongdoing on Thursday and said that the law must take its own course.
Tharoor, in a post on X, said that the detained person is a former member of his staff who has been rendering part-time service to him. He also extended his support to the authorities in their efforts to take any necessary action
"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," the Congress MP posted on X.
"I do not condone any alleged wrongdoing and fully support the authorities in their efforts to take any necessary action that may be required to investigate the matter. The law must take its own course," he added.
Earlier, Delhi Customs on Wednesday detained two people at the Delhi International Airport in a case of alleged gold smuggling.
According to sources in Customs, one of the detainees identified himself as Shiv Kumar Prasad and claimed that he is the personal assistant to Shashi Tharoor.
Shiv Kumar Prasad had come to the Delhi Airport to receive a person who had arrived from Dubai. Both people were arrested when the passenger was trying to hand over around 500 Grams of gold to Prasad.
"Prasad has the aerodrome entry permit card that allows him access to airport premises. He entered the airport premises and was receiving a packet when he was held along with the passenger," said the sources.
The Customs authorities said that both Prasad and the passenger were detained and 500 gm of Gold was recovered from their possession. The case is under investigation and their credentials have been verified, the sources added.
Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar, in a reference to the report on the detention of the alleged aide of Shashi Tharoor, criticised the Congress and the CPM, dubbing them an "alliance of gold smugglers."
"First CM Secy involved in Gold smuggling, now Cong MP "aide"/PA detained for Gold smuggling. CPM and Cong - both INDI alliance partners - alliance of gold smugglers," Chandrasekhar said on X.
Chandrasekhar is the NDA candidate from the Thiruvananthapuram constituency and faces a stiff challenge from the former diplomat and senior Congress leader Tharoor, who is seeking a third term.
Voting was completed on April 26 in all 20 Lok Sabha constituencies in Kerala along with 88 constituencies across 13 states and union territories in the second phase of the Lok Sabha polls 2024.