Jet Airways fires air hostess arrested with Rs 3.2 crore in US dollars

The 25-year-old flight attendant was intercepted by Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials when on a flight to Hong Kong on Monday. She was allegedly trying to smuggle $4,80,200 out of the country.

Further investigation led to the arrest of an alleged Delhi-based hawala operator, 39-year-old Amit Malhotra.

"Malhotra would collect money from some bullion dealers in Delhi and send it via some air hostess to select foreign destinations. The money was being used for purchasing gold abroad. The gold would then be sent to India illegally," an official said.

A Delhi court on Thursday extended the duo's judicial custody by two weeks.

The woman has allegedly transported foreign currency several times for Malhotra, after he had befriended her six months ago onboard an India-bound flight.