New Delhi, Oct. 31 -- A dispute over whether a newly purchased iPhone can be brought into India without paying customs duty has put Kochi airport in the spotlight.

An NRI passenger from Kozhikode, identified as Ajas Muhamad, was booked by the Nedumbassery police after refusing to pay a duty demand of nearly Rs.30,000 on an iPhone 18 Pro he had purchased in Dubai.

The disagreement was not simply about the amount being charged. It centred on how customs rules distinguish between personal belongings and newly purchased goods brought into India from abroad.

Ajas maintained that the phone was meant for his personal use and argued that carrying two devices should not automatically make one liable for duty.

Customs officials, however, report...