Chennai: Smuggler held for securing multiple passports held

CHENNAI: The economics offences wing of the CBI has arrested F Ubaidullah, who is not an unknown name in customs and Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) circles, for possession of multiple passports.

After a case was registered against the 50-year-old in January for procuring passports using forged documents, including the marksheet of a famous college in Royapettah, CBI officials on April 6 picked up Ubaidullah from his residence on Langs Garden Road in Pudupet. He was then sent to Puzhal prison after being examined at Government Stanley Medical College and Hospital. CBI officials kept the developments under wraps and when TOI inquired with senior officials, they denied having arrested him the EOW case.

In prison, Ubaidullah was kept in the quarantine block, a common practice whenever a newcomer lands in jail.

As early as in June 2014, then additional director general (ADG) of DRI, Chennai, M M Parthiban wrote to Chennai commissioner S George complaining how Ubaidullah had assaulted DRI officers and his associate had snatched a bag that included incriminating material, a hard disk and two pen drives. A separate complaint with the details was filed with the Chetpet police by R Srinivasan, a DRI officer.

In October 2017, then customs commissioner wrote to his boss narrating how at Chennai airport Ubaidullah and his associates threatened a baggage superintendent to allow some co-passengers carrying goods in commercial quantities to leave without examination. TOI has copies of several representations made by customs officers manning seaports and airports in Tamil Nadu in this regard.

An air customs superintendent who wrote to his boss that day said Ubaidullah approached officers to smuggle electronic items, cigarettes and gold. “When they refuse to oblige, he threatens to record conversations, alter them and complain to anti-corruption agencies,” the letter said. Officers are unable to carry out their duties due to fear, it added.

Officers say it may not be exactly that. Some officials who help smugglers out on a few occasions are targeted by Ubaidullah who uses recorded phone conversations to implicate them. “This makes him extremely useful for officials in central government agencies to settle personal scores. Majority of officers say they avoid Ubaidullah,” said a top officer who has served in CBI. Officially, officers have been asked not to have any truck with him as he is 'undesirable'.

Customs officials have suggested that a dedicated intelligence wing be created for monitoring such contacts and officers talking to them can also be put on surveillance. “Such officers should be identified and not posted in sensitive locations,” said one officer. CCTV camera footage should be collected to ensure that when counter complaints are made, officers can be backed up. Also, penalties and government dues levied on such people should be expeditiously collected.