MUMBAI: In an unusual case of workplace misconduct, over 15 senior and mid-level officials of Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) have been forced to resign for allegedly taking confiscated items—ranging from coconuts to oil bottles—for personal use.
The resignations took place in early August after MIAL’s HR department confronted the officials with CCTV footage showing them pocketing security-restricted articles (SRA). These items, which include knives, lighters, batteries, e-cigarettes, and even food items like coconuts and oil, are seized from passengers by CISF during security checks and are meant either for disposal or collection by NGOs.
Officials who resigned told TOI they were given a choice between immediate resignation or termination. Many had served the airport for one to two decades in positions such as duty terminal managers, deputy managers, and senior executives. “We assumed taking an SRA item wouldn’t be treated as a major violation. For years, confiscated coconuts and bottles of oil were treated as a nuisance, not an asset,” one said, calling the punishment disproportionate.
Legal experts agree the process may have been flawed. Advocate Ashok Shetty said, “The punishment should match the gravity of the misconduct. Forcing resignations without inquiry amounts to illegal termination.”
MIAL did not respond to queries on the matter.
Mumbai airport handles about 1.5 lakh passengers daily, and confiscated items pile up quickly. A single shift in May logged 25 matchboxes, 50 coconuts, 12 scissors, 9 knives, 14 screwdrivers, and several e-cigarettes, cutters, and tools. On some days, the list of restricted items stretches to over two dozen categories, including pepper spray, toy guns, umbrellas, luggage chains, spices, and candles.
