Top Customs officials’ hockey junket raises brows

Gupta had one golf kit which a Customs superintendent, Kuldip Singh Sandhu, had requested him to carry, since Sandhu, apparently had excess baggage at London, where the team had had a stopover. Sandhu, apparently, had also declared the kit and paid some duty on the same.

The Customs officers, along with some Air India officers, had gone to Los Angeles to play hockey under the aegis of the Mumbai Veterans’ Hockey Association. Gupta’s wife and children were with him on the trip. Additional commissioner (airport), T H K Ghauri was also part of the team. Gupta was in-charge of the team.

Gupta, when contacted by this reporter, said that since he was told on his arrival in the baggage hall that a doubt had been raised about his baggage, he offered that the bags be opened, instead of simply being put through the X-ray machines. He said he had brought only chocolates and soft toys and had signed the immigration form.

The CBI team, however, after the X-Ray scanning, were satisfied and did not open the bags.

To queries, Gupta also said the team had gone on a regular tournament in which many countries participated. He, however, could not remember the name of the local club in LA which had sponsored them, and said he would have to look at the papers. He said he could talk to this reporter on these questions on Friday. The Indian team won the third position in the tournament.

Chief commissioner of customs, D K Acharya, when contacted, said he had just taken over recently, and would talk to the press “soon.”