Dubai-based Indian businessman Vasu Shroff, 84, chairman of the Regal Group and a recipient of the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award, faced a distressing incident at Jaipur International Airport earlier this month.
Upon arriving for a family event and temple inauguration, Shroff was reportedly harassed by customs officials over a personal Rolex watch, despite having voluntarily declared it along with the original receipt and certification.
Valued at approximately Rs 3.5 million (around Dh150,000), the watch was a high-end timepiece Shroff intended to wear during his visit before returning with it to Dubai.
According to his lawyer and multiple media reports, customs officials accused him of smuggling, detained him in a wheelchair for over four hours, and denied him basic needs such as water, medication, and restroom access.
This treatment, described by Shroff as "criminal," caused him to miss a family function and has sparked outrage among the NRI community.
After legal intervention, the watch was eventually retrieved from customs on April 19 and returned to Shroff in Dubai.
Deeply disturbed by the experience, Shroff has announced plans to pursue legal action to prevent similar treatment of other NRIs.
The incident has reignited concerns over the handling of personal belongings by Indian customs and the broader treatment of expatriates visiting their home country.
