Expensive watches: Indian cricketer Krunal Pandya, wife detained at Mumbai airport

Indian cricketer Krunal Pandya and his wife were detained at the Mumbai airport, Indian media reported Tuesday, as the cricketer was carrying four luxury watches whose receipts he allegedly did not have.

The cricketer was found in possession of expensive watches worth an estimated Indian Rs7.5 million on arrival from the UAE. The watches had not been declared to the relevant authorities.

Pandya was carrying four watches — two of them were Rolex watches while the other two were of the brand Audemar Piguet. The cricketer was part of the Mumbai Indians team that won the IPL final played last month in Dubai.

Two of the watches were meant for him while two were for his brother Hardik, who travelled to Australia with the Indian team.

An Indian official said authorities called over valuers who assessed the worth of the luxury watches. “It was also ascertained that the watches were not duplicates,” the Times of India said, quoting an unnamed source.

Officials said the watches have been seized and the couple will be allowed to go. The watches will be released only after a show-cause notice is issued followed by an adjudication where the fine and penalty will be levied, which will be around 60% of the value of the watches, sources told the publication.

Last year, Krunal Pandya was detained at the Mumbai International Airport over suspicion of carrying undisclosed gold and other valuables.