An Afghan diplomat Zakia Wardak has been reportedly caught in smuggling 25kg gold during her flight from Dubai to Mumbai. Quoting the Times of India, an Afghan news agency, Khaama has reported that the incident occurred on Saturday, May 3rd when Ms Wardak was attempting to smuggle the gold from Dubai to India in a concealed manner.
The media has valued this amount of gold at 18.6 crore Indian rupees. One crore Indian rupees is equal to 10 million or 100 lakh.
It is reported that Ms Wardak’s case has been registered as a “gold smuggling case,” but she is not currently under arrest due to diplomatic immunity.
“Times of India” reported, citing its source, that if the value of the gold exceeds one billion Indian rupees, the suspect will be detained and prosecuted.
The media quoted Zakia Wardak as saying, “I am surprised by these allegations, while I am facing personal challenges and at the same time have to support the Embassy of Afghanistan in India.”
It is said that this amount of gold was found on Ms. Wardak’s person at Mumbai airport, which she had concealed in her clothing. According to the report, she was accompanied by her young son on this trip, but her child had no role in the matter.
According to this report, Ms. Wardak did not present any documents for transporting this amount of gold to the Indian government. Indian authorities have said that she may be the first diplomat from a foreign country to be prosecuted for gold smuggling.
Zakia Wardak was appointed consul general in Mumbai during the previous government and remained in her position even after the Afghan embassy in India closed. Although India has not officially recognized the Taliban administration, diplomatic communications are now taking place in Kabul.
An Afghan news agency has updated that Zakia Wardag has resigned from her position at the consulate, effective today.
