Top Customs Officer in dock for Rs 1.5 Crore Consultancy Charges

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Top Customs Officer in dock for Rs 1.5 Crore Consultancy Charges

AIT News Network

MUMBAI. Axe has finally fallen on High profile Top Customs Officer of the rank of Chief Commissioner who now faces major penalty for alleged official misconduct for cheque payments amounting to around Rs 1.5 Crore received by his alleged innocent and inexperienced son from an Industrial House while he adjudicated a case in favour of the said Industrial House.

A firm M/s Alpha Medallia Agencies Private Limited, was allegedly floated only on paper, having no books of accounts, by inexperienced 24 year old son of the Top Customs Officer merely to recover Consultancy Charges of around Rs 1.5 Crore from the Industrial Group with whom his father had official dealings during his long stint in Mumbai. The firm could not produce any evidence to prove that it had provided any Consultancy to the said Companies. The rich son had no previous experience of any business or consultancy as shown to have been provided by him.
Customs Officer did not intimate the department under conduct rules about his son getting a huge consultancy fee from Company while he was himself adjudicating the matter related to the Company. Non-intimation is contravention of of Rule 4(2)(ii) of the CCS (conduct) Rules. The Top Officer has claimed that he was not aware of the activities of his son that he was a Consultant for the Companies which had official dealings with them.
The High Profile Officer was posted in Mumbai as Commissioner of customs (Imports), for a long time during the period when M/s Alpha Medallia received consultancy fees. The Officer adjudicated a matter pertaining to the import of company manuals, containing front-end engineering packages by a Big Group.
The Customs issued a Show Cause notice for Customs duty demand and penalty of Rs 62 crore . The Customs Officer adjudicated the case and lowered Customs duty to Rs 3.36 crore and also imposed a nominal penalty of Rs 10 lakh. The Customs Department challenged the order in appeal.
Another Company by the name of Abbavardin Impex allegedly floated by the son is said to have exported diamond and jewellery etc to Gulf , Hong Kong and South Africa, Oman and Hong Kong to the tune of Crores but inquiry by investigating agency has revealed these were fictitious transactions.
Corruption at Top level is the biggest challenge being faced by the Customs Department. Several Top Officers including Chairman of CBEC were booked by CBI in the past but the things have not changed and there is no soul-searching by the Officers.
Is there any use of booking an Officer for misusing his Position when the Officer has already worked with the Government for 35 years and is going to retire in next 3 months?
Government Officers remain poor while their sons, wives and relatives become rich. When they retire; they are disowned by even their own family members. A Senior IRS Officer was recently raided by CBI in Delhi and his own son is said to be informer as the relations between son and father strained on disputes related to share of money in business run by them. An IRS is yet to recover from the jolt given by his wife who did not bother to reach court when his bail application was being heard and he was in judicial custody as she opted for Airconditioned environment of her house rather than running around in heat of the summer.But exceptions are always there. A Senior IRS posted in Kolkata was raided by CBI some time back and cash of Rs 50 Lakh was recovered from Bank Locker. His wife gave a statement before the court that she was a High Class Call Girl and the cash seized by CBI was her income earned through Profession and her innocent husband was not aware of her Profession. Innocent husband was ultimately acquitted of corruption charges as the source of seized cash was duly explained by "Professional though unfaithful" wife.

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