Highlights
- More details are now emerging as to why TV and film producer Ekta Kapoor, who was returning from Bangkok, was detained at the Mumbai airport.
- The Balaji Telefilms founder was held for suspected duty evasion by Customs officials as she was travelling with goods worth Rs 10 lakh but had declared goods worth only Rs 8 lakh.
- The remaining Rs 2 lakhs worth items was questioned by the custom officials post which a fine of Rs 30,000 plus the calculated duty taxes was slapped on the producer. She was then let off.
More details are now emerging as to why TV and film producer Ekta Kapoor, who was returning from Bangkok, was detained at the Mumbai airport.
The Balaji Telefilms founder was held for suspected duty evasion by customs officials as she was travelling with goods worth Rs 10 lakh but had declared goods worth only Rs 8 lakh.
The remaining Rs 2 lakhs worth items was questioned by the Customs officials post which a fine of Rs 30,000 plus the calculated duty taxes was slapped on the producer. She was then let off.
Airport officials and Ekta's representatives haven't made any statements so far.
Ekta Kapoor is currently producing the Vidya Balan starrer
The Dirty Picture, based on the life of southern sensation Silk Smitha.She joins the long list of stars questioned over their undeclared goods like Anushka Sharma, Bipasha Basu and Minissha Lamba.
Here's a quick look at other known names withheld by the Customs officials.
Anuskha Sharma: The
Band Baaja Baaraat star was questioned for carrying gold and diamond jewellery. She was fined after being detained for couple of hours.
Vikram Lamba: Vikram Lamba, brother of actor Mallika Sherawat, was detained at the airport in June this year for carrying foreign currency beyond the permissible limit and not declaring dutiable goods.
Minissha Lamba: In May 2011, the Bollywood actress was detained for about 16 hours as she was wearing a neck piece worth over Rs 50 lakh, which she "forgot" to declare. The actress was fined and the adjudication process in on.
Bipasha Basu: The actress and former model was also held for questioning for a couple of hours in May 2011 when she was found carrying undeclared luggage worth Rs 60,000. She had to pay a fine worth Rs 12,000.
Babush Monserrate: Goa's education minister Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate was detained at Mumbai Airport in April this year found for carrying Indian and foreign currencies valued to be over Rs 25 lakh, which were beyond the permissible limits. Sources said that Babush did not take any permission from the RBI and neither did he declare it at the airport. The adjudication process over the matter is still on.