From The Hindu Archives, October 2, 1973 | Kenyan customs check Chavan’s brief case

New Delhi, Oct. 1: The Union Finance Minister is very unhappy over the recent incident at Nairobi airport, when the brief case of the Finance Minister, Mr. Y.B. Chavan, was searched by the Kenyan customs authorities. But the Ministry feels that it would be indiscreet to blow up this incident considering international interests. The Ministry of External Affairs is apparently taking the same view and has so far not reacted to the press report about the incident on the plea that it has not received any official report from its High Commission in Kenya. The incident which has caused some anguish to the Finance Ministry took place when Mr. Chavan was leaving Nairobi at the conclusion of the meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Mr. Chavan along with his official aides was waiting in the VIP lounge of the Nairobi airport for his return flight to India. The Indian High Commissioner in Kenya and the Kenyan High Commissioner for India who had gone to Kenya for a brief visit had also come to see him off. Just then the officials accompanying Mr. Chavan were accosted by a Kenyan customs official of a comparatively junior rank who wanted to examine their brief cases. The officials let him examine their brief cases. The customs official thereafter pointed to another brief case which he had not examined and was told that it belonged to the Finance Minister who was travelling on a diplomatic passport. The customs official, nevertheless, insisted on an examination of its contents.