Congress leader Shashi Tharoor issued a strong response on Thursday following reports that a former staff member was caught smuggling gold at Delhi airport, asserting that the law must take its own course.
The Congress MP from Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram addressed the incident involving a 72-year-old man who was apprehended by customs officials with 500 grams of gold. Tharoor clarified that the individual had been employed on a part-time basis on compassionate grounds.
“I was shocked to hear of an incident involving a former member of my staff who has been rendering part-time service to me in terms of airport facilitation assistance. He is a 72-year-old retiree undergoing frequent dialysis and was retained on a part-time basis on compassionate grounds,” Tharoor posted on X (formerly Twitter). He emphasized that he does not condone any alleged wrongdoing and expressed his full support for the authorities in their investigation. “I do not condone any alleged wrongdoing and fully support the authorities in their efforts to take any necessary action as may be required to investigate the matter. The law must take its own course,” he added.
According to a news agency, customs officials arrested two individuals on Wednesday for allegedly smuggling gold. One of the detainees, identified as Shiv Kumar Prasad, claimed to be Tharoor’s personal assistant.
Reacting to the incident, Union Minister and BJP leader Rajeev Chandrashekhar, who contested the ongoing Lok Sabha elections from Thiruvananthapuram against Tharoor, criticized the Congress leader. Chandrashekhar accused both the Congress and CPM of being involved in gold smuggling.
“First CM Secy involved in gold smuggling, now Cong MP ‘aide’/PA detained for gold smuggling. CPM and Cong – both INDI alliance partners – alliance of gold smugglers,” Chandrasekhar wrote on X.
