Lakshadweep MP says CBI raid caused hardships to passengers

Kochi, Jun 22 (UNI) Lakshadweep MP, P P Koya today said that the passengers aboard the ship Bharat Seema were greatly inconvenienced by the CBI raid on June 20 and added that search should have been handled in a better manner.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr Koya said that nearly 300 passengers had already boarded the ship when the CBI started its checking of the goods being transported to Lakshadweep from here.

According to CBI officials, it was found that the traders had declared only half the quantity of the goods being transported, thus causing pecuniary loss to the Lakshadweep administration, which runs three ships between the islands and the mainland.

Dr Koya said that the islands were dependent on the mainland for all consumer and other goods. He claimed that there were no provisions to weigh cargo and passenger baggage at the port here.

Defending their action, CBI officials said that it was important to maintain the element of surprise in the checks. Also, to spare the passengers a long wait, the CBI team made a random check of the goods of only two of the more than 80 traders who were transporting their goods aboard the Bharat Seema. The Lakshadweep Administration was alerted to check the remaining goods on diembarkation, they added.

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