New Delhi, Nov 26 (IANS): The CBI on Thursday conducted searches at eight places in Mumbai, Pune and Delhi in an ongoing case against some custom officials who are accused of clearing consignments by undervaluing goods in violation of the import policy.
The Central agency carried out these searches at the premises of these public servants and private persons, including importers and custom brokers, and recovered Rs 9 lakh in cash and some incriminating documents.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted these searches after it registered a case earlier this month against Deputy Commissioner of Customs C.S. Pavan, K.S.N. Reddy (Appraiser Group), Gangadhar Goud and Santosh Anaji Shelar (both Appraiser Shed), Lalit Singha and Amit Kumar (both Examiner Shed), and some private persons that include Sagar K. Pitalwar, importer and proprietor of Balaji Automotives Solutions, and Vinay Singh proprietor of Ocean Waves (Custom Broker).
"It was alleged that said Customs officials while posted at Air Cargo Complex, Sahar, Mumbai during 2016-17 entered into a conspiracy with others including proprietors of private companies," the agency said.
The custom officials fraudulently cleared the consignments which were declared "Metal Toy Gun" under "CTH 95030030 instead of CTH 93039000".
"There was undervaluation of the goods in violation of the Import Policy as mandated in the Compulsory Customs Requirements (CCRs), thereby causing the pecuniary advantage to the importer and loss to the Government of India".
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