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Uzbekistan lady formally arrested by CBI

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday formally arrested Uzbekistan lady Olga Kozireva, a COFEPOSA detenue, allegedly involved in smuggling of various goods into the country along with two Afghanistan nationals.

Immediately after her formal arrest, she was produced before the designated CBI court which remanded her to one day's judicial custody, agency sources said in New Delhi.

CBI sought 14-day police remand of Kozireva for interrogation and the court would hear the agency's application on Wednesday, the sources said.

Earlier, Kozireva was brought from high-security Tihar jail enabling the CBI to arrest her.

A hunt has been launched to nab two Afghanistan nationals, Del Agha and Mamoor Khan, who were helping Kozireva and had fled before the CBI carried out raids at the residences and official premises of 48 senior customs officials, who allegedly helped Kozireva.

CBI will also be seeking the Uzbekistan government's help in identifying the network under which Kozireva had been smuggling goods into the country, besides filing a disproportionate assets case against some customs officials.

The CBI sources said that help from the Uzbek government would be sought to trace the brain behind the smuggling racket and determine the goods that had been brought into the country between 1997 and 2000.

Not ruling out the possibility of the entire smuggling racket having a bearing on the security of the country, they said, "What we have done so far is only touch the tip of the iceberg."

According to an FIR, filed in the designated court, Kozireva had travelled to India 68 times last year and was arrested in August when she tried to smuggle in Chinese silk textiles measuring 81,000 yard.

The CBI alleged that customs officials were paid $700 to $800 for every large consignment and $400 for every small one, the sources said.

The FIR has charged the accused persons, who also included Uzbek lady Nazira Ibragimove (absconding), under Section 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code and 13(2) read with 13(i)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

According to the FIR, these officials used to allow the Uzbek girls to pass through the Green Channel at the airport or sometimes levied a minimal fine after passing through the Red Channel.

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