The Central Bureau of Investigation on Thursday conducted searches at eight locations in Delhi, Mumbai and Pune in connection with an FIR registered against a Deputy Commissioner of Customs and seven others.
“The searches, which led to the seizure of ₹9 lakh in cash and documents, were carried out on the premises of the accused officials and private persons, including an importer & Customs broker,” said an agency official.
Deputy Commissioner C.S. Pavan; appraiser group K. S. N. Reddy; appraiser sheds Gangadhar Goud and Santosh Anaji Shelar; examiner sheds Lalit Singha and Amit Kumar; Sagar K. Pitalwar, the proprietor of importer firm Balaji Automotives Solutions; and Vinay Singh, proprietor of Customs broker firm Ocean Waves, have been named as accused.
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It is alleged that some Customs officials, while posted at the Air Cargo Complex in Mumbai’s Sahar, in 2016-17, conspired with the proprietors of private companies to fraudulently clear the consignments, which were declared “Metal Toy Gun”, under a different Customs tariff heading.
Besides, the agency alleged, there was undervaluation of the goods in violation of the Import Policy, thereby causing pecuniary advantage to the importer and corresponding loss to the exchequer.