Mumbai: The metropolitan magistrate court, Esplanade, has rejected the bail plea of Shahin Shaikh, an airport employee arrested for allegedly smuggling gold into India.
Shaikh was caught at the airport on May 19 carrying eight egg-shaped capsules containing 24-carat gold weighing 2,930 grams and valued at ₹4.80 crore
Defence lawyer Ravi Hirani argued that Shaikh had no connection with the alleged offence, was neither the owner of the seized gold nor its beneficiary, and had been made a scapegoat in the case. He also cited her family circumstances, stating that she has five daughters, one of whom is suffering from tuberculosis, and that her husband is struggling to care for them.
Opposing the plea, the prosecution said Shaikh had admitted in her statement to possession, concealment, carriage, non-declaration and recovery of the seized goods. It also submitted that the investigation was at an initial stage.
Rejecting the application, the court observed that the prosecution alleged Shaikh was trying to protect the real importer for whom she had received the gold. The court further noted that her presence was necessary to trace the alleged main accused and said a deeper probe was required based on the facts presented by the DRI.
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