Thiruvananthapuram: The police on Sunday took the statement of J.S. Prakash following the row over his sharing of the dais with Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan at a function organised by the city police on Friday.

Mr. Kodiyeri had ordered an inquiry on Saturday after it was revealed that Mr. Prakash, a businessman, had been arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in August 2003 on the charge of attempting to smuggle Rs.11 lakhs in foreign currency to Dubai.

Businessman's version

Mr. Prakash, who contacted The Hindu said he had shared the dais with the Home Minister at the instance of officials attached to the Traffic police station. "I was reluctant to speak at the function. But the officials insisted that I share the dais with the Minister and address the audience," he said.

The businessman, who runs an optical instrument shop in the city, was invited to the inauguration of the `Maithri' community policing initiative in reciprocation for donating 350 sunglasses for traffic constables. After the controversy broke, the city police declined to accept the sunglasses.

Mr. Prakash said he was known to most officers in the city, including senior ranking IPS officials. Many of them were his clients and longstanding friends. "However, I have no previous acquaintance with the City Police Commissioner Manoj Abraham. I had met him once before the elections along with other traders from Statue area to discuss a traffic problem. At the meeting, I suggested that traffic constables be issued sunglasses like in other States. The Commissioner then directed me to meet traffic police officials," he said.

City Police Commissioner Manoj Abraham also gave his statement before the Inspector General of Police, South Zone, Arun Kumar Sinha, who is conducting the inquiry. Meanwhile, the police denied a media report stating that Assistant Commissioner, Control Room, E. Sherifudeen, had been transferred to Kozhikode in connection with the incident.

COFEPOSA violation

Mr. Prakash had been detained at the Central Prison here under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act (COPFEPOSA). Later, the COFEPOSA advisory board of the Kerala High Court revoked the detention order in May 2004.

So far, the DRI or the Customs have not filed any charge sheet against him in any Court of Law or the Court of Economic Offences, Ernakulam. Mr. Prakash said he had been "wrongly" arrested by the DRI.

"I hold an import-export licence issued by the Reserve Bank of India. As per the licence, I can possess foreign currency equivalent to US Dollars 25,000 when travelling abroad," he said. Mr. Prakash has moved the Customs Tribunal in Bangalore seeking the release of the foreign currency seized from him by the DRI.

The businessman had also figured as accused in another foreign currency smuggling case registered by the DRI in 2001. The case (DRI crime no: 1/2001) relates to the seizure of foreign currency worth Rs 2.55 crores from one Sidhique of Malappuram.

Mr. Prakash said the court had quashed the First Information Report filed by the DRI against him in the case.

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