Drug trafficker puts Customs in the dock

NEW DELHI, Feb 3: In a rare case, a Norwegian facing trial in a smuggling case, today put Customs officials in the dock by alleging in a ...

NEW DELHI, Feb 3: In a rare case, a Norwegian facing trial in a smuggling case, today put Customs officials in the dock by alleging in a city court that they had shown half a kilogramme less of hashish, seized from his possession at Indira Gandhi International Airport IGIA here in October, 1997.

Twenty-year-old Gasnier announced before the Additional District and Sessions judge Indermeet Kaur Kochar that he was actually carrying two kgs of hashish at the time of his arrest, but the Customs officials mentioned the weight of the seized property at one and half kgs in the FIR.

The court, which was recording his evidence, issued a notice to the Customs Department asking it to file a reply by February 12, after Gasnier submitted a written confessional statement.

8220;I would like to state that I am not guilty of carrying 1.5 kgs charas with me as charged. I confess that I actually was carrying two kgs of charas that night,8221; he said in the statement.

8220;This confession is given in respect and in honour oftruth and Justice. I state that I am aware of the consequences of giving this statement,8221; he said, adding, 8220;prayer8211;may Justice happen8221;.

The court had asked him repeatedly whether he knew of the consequences of his statement and the punishments and fine that could be imposed on him, if it was proved false.

Gasnier replied that, 8220;My soul and heart does not permit me to tell a lie and once I come out of the jail, I shall be a free bird and free of all sins.8221;

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He was nabbed at the airport on the intervening night of October 16, 1997, when he was in the transit lounge, waiting for a flight to his own country.

Gasnier, who had come from Nepal, was arrested after a sniffer dog indicated that he had the contraband with him, and has been in judicial custody since then.

His lawyer H R Khan Sohail told PTI that the accused was under severe mental pressure for the last couple of months and had been saying that if he was acquitted by the court, he could be punished by God.

Several advocates dealingwith drug smuggling cases said this could be the first time that an accused has confessed his crime in such a case, in which the punishment could be upto ten years, besides a heavy penalty.