New Delhi: Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday said that Sivakumar Prasad, who was arrested at the Delhi Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport for smuggling gold, is a former member of his staff. Expressing his shock over the incident, the parliamentarian offered his support for any legal action necessary.
“I was shocked to hear of an incident involving a former member of my staff,” Tharoor posted on X (formerly Twitter). He added that Sivakumar, 72, who is undergoing frequent dialysis, was retained on a part-time basis for airport facilitation assistance "on compassionate grounds."
The Congress MP also supported any actions taken by the authorities regarding the matter. “I do not condone any alleged wrongdoing and fully support the authorities in their efforts to take any necessary action as may be required to investigate the matter. The law must take its own course,” he added on X.
Customs officials detain Sivakumar, along with another person, at Terminal 3 of the IGI Airport on Wednesday for allegedly attempting to smuggle 500 gm of gold. Sivakumar’s name was not in the official staff list of Tharoor as he was working from the MP’s house in Delhi temporarily.