CBI books two Customs officials in corruption case

CBI registers two corruption cases against two deputy commissioners of Mumbai Customs and two clearing agents for clearing dutiable goods without payment of customs duty. The accused allegedly committed irregularities by using passports of people who lived abroad for more than two years to avail of exemptions.

MUMBAI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered two corruption cases against two then deputy commissioners of Mumbai Customs, who were posted at Jawaharlal Nehru Customs House (JNCH) in Nhava Sheva, Raigad and two private clearing agents for their alleged involvement in clearing dutiable goods without payment of customs duty.

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The CBI alleged that the two officers and the two clearing agents had allegedly committed the irregularities by using passports of such people who had lived abroad for more than two years, which made them eligible for availing exemptions of up to ₹5 lakh under the Transfer of Residence provision for importing used household articles.

Such acts were done by the accused with the intent to cheat the Government of India and thereby to cause wrongful loss to the government exchequer and causing wrongful gains to themselves, a CBI official said.

While one of the CBI FIRs named Subhash Chandra, then deputy commissioner, who worked from August 2021 to July 2022, the other named the then deputy commissioner Dinesh Fuldiya, who worked from December 2020 to August 2021.

Both the FIRs named Customs clearing agents, Sudhir Padekar and Ashish Kamdar, as the co -accused. Relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act were invoked against the accused.

“In furtherance of the said conspiracy, dutiable goods were imported under the Transfer of Residence provision by the suspect private persons and the same were given out of charge by the public servant/s knowingly and dishonestly, causing wrongful loss to the exchequer and wrongful gain to themselves,” a CBI official said.

“It has been revealed during the investigation that the said clearing agents procure passports from various persons who have lived abroad for more than two years and knowingly and dishonestly use the said passports for clearing consignments of household items of other ineligible persons,” the official said.

“It was revealed that the goods imported were undervalued to a large extent. The Customs agents in India in connivance with their accomplices in the Gulf and Customs officials in India import electronic items and other unknown goods in the guise of household items,” the CBI official said.

Under the Transfer of Residence provision, a person who has lived abroad for more than two years can import used household goods from abroad by availing an exemption. According to the CBI, the accused allegedly paid ₹15,000 per consignment to such passport holders.