Summary: Mohit Mann, a U.S. citizen of Indian origin, faced a 40-hour detention at Delhi airport over undeclared goods. The court revisited the case, uncovering hidden details.
On the night of November 14-15, 2025, Mohit Mann arrived at Terminal-3, Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi. He was there for family weddings, but things took a turn when the Customs Department held his goods. Mohit Mann had traveled from Frankfurt with his family, including his wife and infant daughter.
Customs officials held several items from Mohit Mann, including:
Mohit Mann claimed some items were personal belongings, while others were gifts for family and friends.
Mohit Mann filed a request with the court, asking for his goods back. He argued that keeping his items for so long was unfair, especially since his wife and child were left waiting outside the airport.
Justice Prathiba M. Singh and Justice Renu Bhatnagar heard the case, initially telling the Customs Department to give back Mohit Mann's used jewelry and phones.
"The Petitioner is willing to send the held goods back out of the country and does not plan to sell them in India."
The Customs Department, represented by Ms. Anushree Narain, asked the court to look at the case again, showing more details:
The court noted that Mohit Mann had not shared these details, suggesting he might have tried to mislead them.
On December 11, 2025, the court changed its earlier decision, emphasizing that Mohit Mann's actions seemed like he was trying to hide something on purpose. The Customs Department was told to go ahead and issue a notice explaining why they were holding the goods.
"There can be no good reason for anyone to bring 17 mobile phones into the country, especially without telling customs about them."
Mohit Mann's complaint against the Customs Department was dismissed, and he was ordered to pay Rs. 10,000 as a penalty.
The case shows how important it is to be honest and clear when going through customs, especially when traveling with expensive items. Mohit Mann's experience serves as a reminder to travelers about the potential legal problems of not declaring goods.
