Krunal Pandya stopped at Mumbai airport
Mumbai Indians allrounder Krunal Pandya was stopped and questioned by Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) personnel at the Mumbai International Airport on Thursday on landing from the UAE following his team’s IPL win.
DRI sources said four expensive watches the cricketer had not declared on arrival were seized from his possession. At the time of going to press, DRI and customs officials were still recording testimony and assessing the value of items seized to calculate the duty evaded.
DRI officials detained the player along with his wife. Sources said DRI officials, on receiving intelligence, had reached T2 terminal of the airport.
If he is found to have violated rules, Pandya would face action under the Customs Act. According to Customs law, a passenger can carry items/ goods worth up to ₹50,000 as free allowance and won’t have to declare at the customs. If a passenger is carrying items of a higher value, they must be declared at customs on arrival, and can attract duty of around 36%.
A passenger caught with goods worth up to ₹ 20 lakh without paying duty is fined. If the value of goods range between ₹20 lakh and ₹1 crore he is made to pay the fine and arrested, though he is eligible for spot bail against a cash deposit.
If the value of goods seized is above ₹1 crore, the person is arrested and produced before a magistrate to seek judicial custody.
Krunal’s mother Nalini Pandya said: “I haven’t heard anything about it. I haven’t spoken to him today.”