Airport arrest for ‘smuggling’

wiss watches, precious stones and other valuables worth more than Rs 2 crore were confiscated from three passengers at the airport early on Friday.ftab Ahmed, Md Asifuddin and Arshad Afaq Alkam — all residents of Kidderpore — were arrested after they reached Calcutta on a Thai Airways flight from Hong Kong.he trio were carrying iridium and ruthenium powder along with watches and gems worth Rs 2.2 crore without proper documents, an officer of the department of revenue intelligence said. “They had purchased the goods in Hong Kong.” Iridium and ruthenium are used for polishing gold items and in surgical equipment.

Prisoners’ vote: A public interest litigation was moved in the high court demanding poll booths in all correctional homes so that prisoners could vote in the upcoming Assembly elections. The state government did not oppose the petition.

Land dispute: A PIL challenging the legality of distribution of plots in Rajarhat by Hidco chairman and state housing minister Gautam Deb was heard at the high court on Friday. The division bench of Chief Justice J.N. Patel and Justice A.K. Roy asked petitioner Ramaprasad Sarkar to file a reply to the affidavit-in-opposition by Deb within two weeks and fixed the next hearing of the case on March 18.

Inauguration: Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee inaugurated the Webel Electronic Industry Park on Dwarir Road in Sonarpur on Friday. Hardware units and those engaged in the manufacture of telecommunication devices and components for solar and other renewable power can set up facilities in the 11-acre park.

Airline offer: Air India on Friday announced special fare for women travelling on its domestic network on International Women’s Day on March 8. The price for the economy class ticket is Rs 99, excluding taxes. The executive class fare is Rs 1,199, excluding taxes.