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.
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.
You have reached your limit for free articles this month.
Subscription Benefits Include
Today's Paper
Find mobile-friendly version of articles from the day's newspaper in one easy-to-read list.
Unlimited Access
Enjoy reading as many articles as you wish without any limitations.
Personalised recommendations
A select list of articles that match your interests and tastes.
Faster pages
Move smoothly between articles as our pages load instantly.
Dashboard
A one-stop-shop for seeing the latest updates, and managing your preferences.
Briefing
We brief you on the latest and most important developments, three times a day.
Support Quality Journalism.
*Our Digital Subscription plans do not currently include the e-paper, crossword and print.
A letter from the Editor
Dear subscriber,
Thank you!
Your support for our journalism is invaluable. It’s a support for truth and fairness in journalism. It has helped us keep apace with events and happenings.
The Hindu has always stood for journalism that is in the public interest. At this difficult time, it becomes even more important that we have access to information that has a bearing on our health and well-being, our lives, and livelihoods. As a subscriber, you are not only a beneficiary of our work but also its enabler.
We also reiterate here the promise that our team of reporters, copy editors, fact-checkers, designers, and photographers will deliver quality journalism that stays away from vested interest and political propaganda.
Suresh Nambath
Please Email the Editor