CBI arrests two Customs employees

MUMBAI, JAN 13: Two Customs employees attached to Customs House, Nhava Sheva were arrested by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday allegedly for aiding two businessmen in claiming duty drawback to the tune of Rs 2.29 crore.

The arrested workers are Custom Examiner Sanjeev Kumar and Customs Appraiser D A Kasbekar. According to CBI officials, two Rajasthan-based businessmen Omprakash Vyas alias Naresh Suri and Rameshkumar Chauhan alias Parmar along with their associates had floated bogus and non-existent firms Om Enterprises, Kusum Exim, Tropica Corporation, Topaz Exports, Tarsem Overseas, Saluja Overseas, Chemlite Industries etc in 1997 and opened accounts in Central Bank of India, Fort and Null Bazar branches, Dena Bank, Grant Road branch and Kalbadevi branch of the Punjab National Bank.

Using bogus shipping bills effecting exports from the Customs, the duo had claimed and received duty drawback.

On Wednesday the duo were produced before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate K H Holambe-Patil who remanded them to police custody till Thursday.