Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Oct 24: Wintrack Inc., which had earlier suspended its India operations citing demands for bribes by customs officials, has now brought attention to another incident involving alleged harassment of an entrepreneur by a customs officer at Delhi airport.
The entrepreneur, identified as Sanjay Kumar Sharma, reportedly faced harassment over the sample products he was carrying. According to Wintrack, the officer insisted that Sharma produce receipts for the samples, despite his repeated clarifications that they were not for sale.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Wintrack wrote, “Customs harassment faced at Delhi Airport by Sanjay Kumar Sharma, vlogger and entrepreneur, just after Vir Sanghvi highlighted Delhi Customs.” The company added that “genuine entrepreneurs face harassment frequently” and termed it “a recurring problem at various Indian airports.”
“Not everyone has social media to voice concerns and risks backlash during future travel,” the post read, highlighting the larger issue of repeated complaints from travellers about customs behaviour.
Wintrack also shared a video by Sharma, who goes by the username “suprans.china” online, in which he described his experience at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.
In the viral video, Sharma claimed he had been held up for over an hour and a half despite cooperating with officials. “All my luggage is legal,” he said, adding that customs officers demanded bills for the sample items he carried.
“I told them that these are samples, and I could connect them to the supplier. But they insisted on seeing the bill. I asked them what kind of sample comes with a bill,” Sharma said.
He also alleged rude behaviour from an officer when he pointed out that the national flag near the counter was incorrectly positioned. “Instead of fixing it, the officer told me to complain to GMR,” Sharma said, adding that the incident reflects why “many Indians abroad hesitate to return and work for the country.”
According to Sharma, when he asked the officer for the gate number so he could inform his driver, he was told to “go outside and check.” The conversation, he said, turned unpleasant when the officer reportedly told him, “I don’t want to be like you,” to which Sharma responded, “I don’t want to be like you because I don’t have a government job.”
Taking note of the viral video, Delhi Customs responded on X, requesting Sharma to share full details of the incident for further investigation. “Please share the details of the incident so that suitable action can be taken,” the response read.
Financial Express has reached out to Delhi Customs for an official comment, which is awaited.
Earlier this month, Wintrack founder Prawin Ganeshan had expressed optimism following the Finance Ministry’s inquiry into the company’s bribery allegations against customs officials. He wrote that while he had initially expected a “one-sided” discussion, the meeting left him hopeful.
“I realised the government and the Ministry of Finance are committed to resolving entrepreneurs’ issues and providing a long-term solution. Not only Wintrack Inc.’s grievances but those of others have been heard. The future looks promising with growth for all,” Ganeshan posted on X.
Wintrack’s recent post, however, suggests that instances of alleged harassment at Indian airports remain a concern for many business travellers.