Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SP)
Kundapur, Jan 17: Shankar Poojary (40) from Basrur in the taluk, who was arrested by the security personnel at Kuwait airport after finding that he was carrying a parcel of tablets containing banned drug there, was released after he spent seven months behind the four walls of the prison. Shankar had paid the price for carrying the parcel handed over to him by someone known to him for being delivered to a lady at Kuwait.
Shankar was working for Agricultural Food Products Company at Kuwait since 2014. He used to visit his native place once in two years. Last time, he came here on April 25, 2018, and returned on June 13 via Mumbai. At the instance of a colleague, Shankar had carried a parcel handed to him by a person from Udupi. The parcel was to be delivered to the mother-in-law of the person who gave him the parcel. The police who checked his baggage at the airport allowed him to go. But as soon as he reached his residence, the police who followed him, took him into custody and checked his bags and found a parcel of pain killers containing a substance that is banned in Kuwait.
During the questioning he revealed that the parcel was to be delivered to a woman from Kuwait, and he had brought it at the request of his colleague. But his colleague, when approached, denied having anything to do with this parcel. Therefore, Shankar was arrested and confined in Silabia public prison. Later, he was dismissed from his job. As the allegation made on him has been found unsubstantiated, the company has been now requested to reinstate him.
Pushparaj, a Kuwait-based entrepreneur who visited Shankar’s residence, said that external affairs minister, Sushma Swaraj, had been approached for help through MPs, Nalin Kumar Kateel and Shobha Karandlaje, for help in getting Shankar released. Human Rights Protection Foundation president, Dr Ravindranath Shanbhag, had guided the family in securing his release, Pushparaj informed.
Shankar Poojary's wife, Jyothi, said that Shankar would be coming back in a couple of days. His Visa is valid till February first week.
Dr Ravindranath Shanbhag said that full charge sheet had not yet been filed in the case, and the statement of the woman for whom the tablets were meant, was obtained. The charges leveled against Shankar have been proved to be baseless. The judge therefore ordered his release on Tuesday evening. He said that Billawa Sangha Kuwait, Tulu Koota, and others helped in this case. He appealed to anyone visiting foreign destinations not to carry any closed parcels on behalf of others.