The NIA on Monday filed a chargesheet against 18 persons, including Mohammed Aslam, in the Jaipur gold smuggling case under various sections of the IPC and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The case relates to the seizure of 18.5kg of gold at the Jaipur International Airport.
The NIA has filed a chargesheet against Hetram alias Het Ram; Sunil Verma; Rashid Qureshi alias Rashid Quereshi; Abdul Razzak; Shokat Ali; Surendra Kumar Darji; Mohammed Arif; Aizaz Khan alias Ijjaj Mohammed; Sameer Khan; Muniyad Ali Khan; Subhash; Mohammed Maqbool Shekh; Chuna Ram; Amjad Ali; Mohabbat Ali; Ramchandra; Mukesh and Mohammed Aslam before NIA Special Court in Jaipur under section 120B, 204 of IPC; Section 16, 18, 20, of the UAPA.
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Aslam, who has been named in the chargesheet, had petitioned the Supreme Court seeking a stay on his arrest, investigation and proceedings after the NIA registered an FIR against him under provisions of the UAPA. Aslam had been caught allegedly smuggling over 1.5kg gold at the Jaipur International Airport. Following his petition, the Supreme Court was set to examine whether gold smuggling constituted an offence under the stringent anti-terror law, UAPA. The NIA has countered Aslam’s claim and maintained that smuggling of gold is an offence under UAPA.
With the fresh chargesheet in the case, the NIA has got a shot in the arm in its claim that gold smuggling of a substantial quantity is a scheduled offence under the stringent anti-terror law as it threatens economic security, and therefore, is an attempt to destablise the country. The NIA has been facing legal scrutiny over its move to slap UAPA charges in the gold smuggling case in Kerala as well.
The NIA, in its statement, said the accused persons, who have been chargesheeted, had conspired and formed an international gang for smuggling gold into the country. It said that gold bars were being smuggled by the members of the gang to Jaipur from Saudi Arabia for its further delivery to gold dealers.
NIA officials said during investigation that it recovered various incriminating material including chats, audio messages and images from the digital devices of accused persons.
