23 years later, trio sentenced for smuggling US currency

The Sessions court presided over by judge RG Wankhede rejected an appeal filed by one of the diamond traders from Walkeshwar, along with two other men, who pleaded the court to reject orders passed by the Magistrate court in a smuggling case of Rs 1.24 crore in US dollars.

The session's court while rejecting the appeal held that the prosecution had established the charges which were levelled against the three. The magistrate court has sentenced the trio to one month of rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 2,000 each.

The court in its orders held, "It is clear from the evidence as well as the statement of Ajit Dodia, an accused, was carrying a suit case and a brief case. The statement has made it clear that he was in possession of US dollars 89,26,000 as well as a currency declaration form (CDF). The contention of the accused that the foreign currency and declaration belonged to Chandrasen Jhaveri cannot be accepted because the accused has failed to establish this fact. The evidence on record further made it clear that there is no proper permission from the RBI to carry the currency physically or in baggage."

On July 26, 1993, Dodia was intercepted by the customs authorities at the Sahar Airport, with US currency. He revealed that he was travelling to Hong Kong and was carrying the money on behalf of Jhaveri, the owner of Gem Exim Corporation in Walkeshwar.