Kochi: When the mass transfer of Customs officers erupted a controversy, a higher official in the Customs department requested the Centre not to appoint the four officers who have been transferred to Kozhikode International Airport.
The top officer in Customs Preventive Commissionerate forwarded the letter to the Delhi headquarters against the four officials who were transferred to Karipur Air Intelligence.
Two among them had earlier faced CBI investigation. They were removed from the case later, but this was on the grounds of technical issues like failure to complete the investigation on time, pointed out the letter.
Kozhikode airport is witnessing the highest number of smuggling cases in Kerala. 230 kilograms of gold was seized from Karipur airport alone in 2019-20. Smuggling had taken place there with the help of Customs officials earlier and some of them were later expelled after a probe, the letter noted.
Two others among the four transferred officials are working in other departments at Karipur. Appointing these officials at Karipur even after completing 3 years will affect the functioning of the Customs department, it was pointed out.
Two among them in the Superintendent rank are aged 58 years. The central government had instructed not to appoint aged officers in key roles, it is stated in the letter. The names of the four officers who should be appointed in the Kozhikode airport are also mentioned in the letter.
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