Illegal import of Pakistani dates: No pre-arrest bail for Rajasthan businessman

The Mumbai sessions court refused to grant protection from arrest to a Rajasthan-based businessman allegedly involved in importing dry dates from Pakistan through

The Mumbai sessions court refused to grant protection from arrest to a Rajasthan-based businessman allegedly involved in importing dry dates from Pakistan through alternative routes, to evade the 200% customs duty.

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The Central government had increased the customs duty on goods imported from Pakistan from 30-50% to 200% after the Pulwama attack in February. Since then, Indian traders have been using several other routes to import goods from the neighbouring country illegally.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the court refused to give any relief to the businessman, Harish Ramnani, and observed that “there is involvement of the applicant for evasion of tax, which is around ₹8.6 crore”. The court said that this would affect the country’s economy directly.

Last month, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) arrested four businessmen from Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, for their alleged involvement in the illegal import of dates from Pakistani traders. The accused had routed the goods through Oman to evade customs duty and caused ₹8.6 crore-loss to the government.

The investigation revealed Ramnani’s involvement, because of which he was summoned to appear before the agency. Anticipating arrest, he moved a plea for pre-arrest bail before the city sessions court. Opposing the bail, DRI counsel Arun Pathak told the court that Ramnani is part of a larger syndicate.

The accused owner of the city-based firm told investigators that the Pakistani-origin dates were imported via Oman with the help of certain Pakistani nationals living in the Middle Eastern country. He further revealed that around 40 consignments of these dates were imported through the firm Anwaar Al Sharqia Al­ Haditha LLC, Oman, since February­.

The defence argued that the dates were not of Pakistani origin but are from Oman, and the consignments were cleared from Mundra Port, Gujarat. Countering the argument, the DRI submitted that the dates were imported from Karachi to Oman and then to India.