Officials under CBI scanner for taking favours

A senior official of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and a customs commissioner are under the scanner of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for taking favours from a Customs House Agent (CHA).

A senior official of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and a customs commissioner are under the scanner of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for taking favours from a Customs House Agent (CHA).

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A CHA is a private person or an agency that helps importers and exporters clear their consignments at ports and airports by completing documentation formalities.

On January 11, the CBI raided the offices and residences of 14 customs officers and staff, suspected of accepting bribes in cash, electronic gadgets, air tickets or through other means by CHA Manish Sanghani. Sanghani’s office and residence was also raided.

CBI sources discovered the names of the DRI official and Customs commissioner while going through Sanghani's diary. The CBI has not revealed the names of these two senior officers as investigations into the case are on.

Sources said that the two officers had taken favours from the CHA by accepting multi-utility vehicles from Sanghani for making trips to Pune and other areas outside Mumbai. CBI officers said that the DRI officer had taken the vehicles 12 times in the last two years to go to Pune.

The CBI will look into the cases of DRI officer and the customs commissioner after completing investigations into the cases of 14 officers and staff who were raided.

The CBI is in the process of registering disproportionate assets (DA) cases against the 14 officers and staff.

“We will go step by step,” the officer said, adding that they are first looking into the cases of five officers who have made huge wealth by corrupt means.