Mumbai: A man allegedly linked to a gold smuggling syndicate under investigation by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) surrendered before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate at Esplanade court after the Supreme Court rejected his anticipatory bail plea and directed him to surrender.
The DRI had launched a detailed probe last April and arrested five persons for allegedly smuggling foreign-marked gold brought in by African nationals via air routes. The gold was later refined at a facility connected to one of the accused.
The man who surrendered, A Saini, earlier approached the Bombay High Court and Supreme Court for pre-arrest relief, but both courts denied his plea.
The court remanded him to judicial custody till July 2. According to DRI officials, evidence points to a larger conspiracy involving organised smuggling operations and hawala transactions. The officials added that the agency is continuing its investigation to identify other syndicate members and financial links behind the operation.
