Three time Rajya Sabha MP and Indian Union Muslim League leader PV Abdul Wahab has alleged that his son was recently intercepted at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport by Customs, on his return from UAE, and strip-searched without following the due procedure.
“According to information I have been given, such an extreme step requires the approval of a magistrate. Customs officials cannot do it on their own as it is a violation of one’s right to privacy and there are procedures in place for the same in the Customs’ rules,” Wahab told PTI news agency.
Wahab said that while it was okay to intercept and detain someone at the airport on grounds of suspicion or some complaint or due to their names coming up as flagged on the computer, steps like strip search and x-ray were an extreme measure.
The incident occurred on November 1 night when Wahab’s son arrived from Sharjah at Thiruvananthapuram international airport after attending a wedding abroad.
The incident came to light when Wahab mentioned it during his speech at an event recently.
