Dubai businessman Vasu Shroff, also known as Dubai’s Textile King, faced a humiliating ordeal at Jaipur Airport on April 12 when he was stopped by customs officials over his Rolex watch. Shroff, a wheelchair-bound 85-year-old entrepreneur, was visiting India for a brief trip to meet VIPs and attend a religious event. However, his visit quickly took a distressing turn upon his arrival at the airport.
An immigration officer approached Shroff, demanded to see his passport, and unexpectedly pointed to his Rolex watch. The officer asserted that he needed to declare it. Confused, Shroff searched for a declaration counter but found none. Instead of a proper customs channel, they directed him to a small desk. The situation forced Shroff to wait in his wheelchair for over two hours.
Despite Shroff’s request to pay any duty the following day, officials refused, treating him with disrespect. His lawyer, Dharmendre Singh, criticized the lack of infrastructure at Jaipur Airport and the inappropriate handling of the situation. The officials wrongly insisted that the Rolex could only be re-exported to Dubai after paying a questionable duty. They even demanded an unjustified Rs10,000 (Dh431) for the release of the watch. 
Shroff’s watch, valued at around Rs3.5 million (Dh151,088), should have attracted a duty of approximately Rs1.3 million (Dh56,118) under Indian customs rules, but the demand for Rs10,000 raised serious concerns about the process. In the end, Shroff left India without his watch, feeling humiliated and disrespected.
Shroff’s lawyer later retrieved the watch on April 19 and brought it back to Dubai. The experience has left Shroff with a bitter memory, and he is now calling for improved systems and respectful treatment of travelers at Indian airports.
