DoR inquiry report in Wintrack case indicates possibility of cheating, private fraud by importer’s own agents: CBIC
(source : ANI) ( Photo Credit : ani)
New Delhi – The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) is launching a full investigation into alleged cheating and fraud at Chennai Customs after a Department of Revenue report highlighted irregularities involving importer agents and brokers.
The CBIC says the probe should take 4 to 6 weeks. To keep the case fair, it has moved the officers named in the report out of their posts immediately and posted them outside the region. The board has also suspended the license of a customs‑broker agent mentioned in the report under Regulation 16 of the Customs Brokers Licensing Regulations, 2018, while the investigation runs.
A police complaint has been filed against the unofficial intermediaries involved. CBIC is setting up a task force headed by a customs member to tighten operations and review all pending cases. The task force will focus on small‑scale importers and MSMEs, aiming to enforce rules transparently and prevent misuse of authority or retaliation against complainants.
Key measures include stronger anonymity in assessments, limiting access to customs sites to authorized customs handling agents, bolstering grievance‑redress systems, and making updates public through customs portals.
The drive comes after Wintrack Inc., a company that imports and exports through Chennai, announced on October 1 that it would stop all trading in India. In a post on X, the company said it was under “harassment” by customs officials for 45 days, accusing authorities of bribery. The founder, Prawin Ganesha, released a video on October 2 describing a series of incidents from January onward, when he refused to pay alleged bribes and recorded a call with a customs agent. He said the dispute started to flare up again in May, with repeated delays, demands for money and abusive language.
Ganesha called on all importers and exporters to stand up against bribery, especially on Gandhi Jayanti. “If we all raise our voices, we can stop this corrupt practice,” he said. He added that the company will cease all import and export activities in India permanently.
CBIC’s investigation and the new task force aim to bring clarity to Chennai Customs and protect small businesses from similar attacks. The outcome will be closely watched by importers, exporters, and regulators alike.
Source: aninews
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