Dubai-bound Goa minister detained at Mumbai airport

Goa education minister Atanasio Monserrate was detained at the Mumbai airport for allegedly carrying unaccounted foreign and Indian currency, a senior customs official said today.

The minister and his associate were detained since last night for possessing undisclosed Indian and UAE currency notes, the official said on condition of anonymity.

"Monserrate, who was to fly to Dubai, was carrying $2,5000 traveller's cheque, over 70,000 dirhams and Rs1.25 lakh in cash," he added.

Another official in the air intelligence unit of the customs said Rs1.16 lakh in Indian currency and equivalent of Rs22.84 lakh in different foreign currencies were seized from the Goa politician.

"He has been detained and would be released after a thorough questioning and examination of his papers. His passport will be impounded pending enquiry," the official added.

Monserrate's elder son Rohit was arrested in 2009 for allegedly raping a minor German girl in Goa.

In February, Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan was detained at the Delhi airport for allegedly carrying about Rs60 lakh of undeclared foreign currency.

The singer and his manager Maroof were later slapped with a penalty of Rs15 lakh each in connection with the recovery of huge amount of foreign currency from them.