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Customs quarters in Matunga where some of the nabbed officers stay. pic/urvashi seth |
The wife of Vinay Kumar Nath, one of the 22 officials, said, "My husband is innocent. I can't believe he can do such thing." She claimed to be ignorant about the trip as well. "He was on day-and-night duty at the Sahar Airport. I don't know where he went after that. I was not aware of his trip to Lonavala," added Nath. She claimed her husband was either forced to join the party or was unaware about what would be happening there.
Nath stays at Custom Quarters at Matunga along with his wife and son.
Rajesh Bhaurao Dhone's (40) mother also insisted her son was innocent. Dhone stays in the same quarters with his mother, wife and two children.
"I cannot believe he is party to such a crime," she said. She too believes Dhone's friends must have forced him to be part of the get-together or he was unaware of the entertainment at the party.
When MiD DAY tried speaking to one of the accused, Narendra Kumar Raipuria (31), he refused to comment about his involvement.
Changed venue
A customs officer on condition of anonymity revealed that the venue was changed 24 hours before the party.
"Everyone contributed for the party, but the senior customs officer who organised it was absent. While there were a few excise officers from different parts of the country, most of the men were customs officials from Mumbai. There were four bottles of liquor and 10 beer cans in the room," said the official.
He denied any obscene act was taking place. He said, "The girls were changing for their next performance and that is when the police raided the farmhouse. This gave them the wrong impression."
He said the accused officers would not be suspended for being at the party, but for leaving the headquarters without informing.
