AMRITSAR: Following recovery of gold ornaments from driver of the Lahore-bound Sada-e-Sarhad bus at Attari on Thursday, the Indian intelligence agencies have decided to keep a close tab on the activities of Pakistani bus and train drivers during their stay in the country.
"The recovery of gold ornaments could just be the tip of an iceberg, and we have to go deep into it to uncover connivance of others before it is too late," said a senior intelligence officer seeking anonymity. He said all concerned security agencies had been informed to closely watch the Pakistani drivers as soon as they enter India during their travel up to Delhi and night stay in the country apart from seeking details of their local contacts.
Sources, having access to the statement of Hamid Khan, driver of Sada-e-Sarhad bus, informed TOI on Friday that the bus driver had admitted that he would have received a commission of Rs 10,000 on successful smuggling of gold ornaments from India. "However, we are of the view that the commission could be up to Rs 25,000," said sources.
Going back on their previous disclosure that 360 grams of gold was recovered from driver Hamid hidden in a special cavity under the steering wheel of the bus, the Indian customs officials on Friday said the net weight of gold including two necklaces was only 110 grams, valued at Rs 2,62,000. "We have calculated the mass after deducting the weight of glass and other stones," said a customs official.
Meanwhile, Border Security Force (BSF) officials stated that customs department shouldn't have allowed Hamid to go back to Pakistan and he should have been detained for questioning. "It is a matter of national security and not just a violation of the customs duty," said BSF officials, adding that there was a need to probe the driver's contacts in India. "Smuggling of gold ornaments, especially when there is not much difference in the price of the metal in India and Pakistan, seems to be incredulous. The gold could have been handed over to the driver as a reward or form of payment for some favour," they stated.
Meanwhile, assistant commissioner, land customs station, Attari, Amanjit Singh said it was due to their vigil that the gold ornaments were recovered during rummaging. "We are taking all possible measures to check such smuggling attempts," he said.
