TV actor, stand-up comedian Swapnil Joshi detained at airport

Television actor Swapnil Joshi and two others were detained at the international airport on Tuesday for carrying Indian currency beyond the permissible limit while returning from Bangkok.

Customs officials, led by assistant commissioner of police Sameer Wankhede, stopped Joshi, stand-up comedian Vijay Pawar alias VIP and a woman when they were passing through the green channel.

Joshi and Pawar had Rs1 lakh each in their possession, while the woman was carrying Rs40,000.

Joshi, Pawar and the woman had reached Mumbai on Tuesday afternoon in a Jet Airways flight. They had gone to Bangkok perform at a private party where Joshi and Pawar were paid Rs1 lakh each.

“Nobody is allowed to take Indian currency abroad and Indian passengers can carry Indian currency only up to Rs7,500 while returning from abroad,” said Mahindra Pal, additional commissioner, Customs.

Customs officials questioned the trio for almost two hours and booked them for violation of the Customs Act and the Foreign Exchange Management Act.

Joshi and Pawar were fined Rs48, 000 each and finally let off. “We are innocent. We were not aware of the Customs rules. We did not do this intentionally,” Joshi told DNA.