AAI, CISF staff still spar over frisking

 

The Union Civil Aviation Ministry has backed the demands of the staff and said the CISF should not be allowed to frisk either the staff  or the  passengers unless they are brought under the  ministry. Meanwhile, the CISF has clarified that it has orders to frisk the staff.

 

The Civil Aviation Ministry support has emboldened the staff and sources said there could be more tense situations.  In effect,  there is a teaming up among the airport staff against the CISF, which has been put on the backfoot by the state police. The  police investigation team  told that the CISF had refused to own up the mistakes committed by their personnel. This again has forced the airport staff to press their long-pending demand.

 

This tussle would benefit a section of airport staff  with  close links to the gold smuggling mafia in the state. “The CISF was told to intensify the checks on the  staff after several  of them  were caught  for gold smuggling. They obect to frisking because of this,” an airport official told DC.

 

Customs sources  confirmed that a section of the airport  staff  had close links with the gold smuggling mafia. “When the Customs and CISF started checking the staff,  both during entry and exit, the members of the gang were caught. This has sealed a major revenue source for the corrupt officials  and they want the frisking to end. Any move to stop the CISF from frisking will only benefit these officials as the Customs with minimum staff strength cannot frisk every staff member who gets in and out of the airport,” the official added.