Mumbai: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested 03 public servants including a Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Customs, a Superintendent and an Official of Inland Container Depot (ICD) Tughlakabad, Delhi and 02 private persons including a CHA and an employee of Delhi based private firm, in a case related to demanding and accepting bribes for showing undue favors to a Mumbai based private firm.
Searches were also conducted in Delhi, Mumbai, Faridabad, Gurugram, Raigarh and Kinnaur (HP) at nine locations belonging to the accused persons leading to recovery of incriminating documents and cash amounting to Rs 19.25 lakh, officials said on Tuesday.
The arrested persons have been identified as Deputy Commissioner Omprakash Bisht, Superintendent Amit Kumar, Bisht's peon Bijender Kumar, Customs House Agent of M/s Ashoka Logistics Solutions, Delhi Ashok Yadav, employee of M/s Ashoka Logistics Solutions Ravi Kant Mishra. The other persons booked by the CBI are Umacharan Majhi, employee of Mumbai based M/s Radha Marketing and one Kuldeep Kumar.
According to the CBI, a case was registered on 06.09.2024 against 07 accused persons on allegations that accused public servants were demanding and accepting illegal gratification from accused CHA of the said Delhi based private company in lieu of imposing reduced penalty on the Mumbai based firm.
It was also alleged that accused public servants in connivance with each other were in the habit of demanding and accepting bribe from various private parties for clearing the pending matters related to import/export consignments and custom bonds in conspiracy with private persons including said Customs House Agent.
"It was further alleged that the accused official of ICD and said DC (Customs) were in regular touch with accused CHA and accused employee of Delhi based firm for according customs clearance for consignments and were collecting illegal gratification from various private parties. The bribe money was, allegedly, taken by said ICD official in his bank account and thereafter delivered to accused DC. Further, it was alleged that on 09.08.2024 accused CHA contacted the said DC and asked him to impose minimum penalties on bills of the said Mumbai based firm. The DC assured him that he would impose minimum penalties and for that he demanded a bribe from CHA. Accused official of ICD contacted the accused CHA on 10.08.2024 and confirmed that DC has imposed a low penalty on the consignment and asked for delivery of the bribe amount at the earliest. It was also alleged that on 03.09.2024 accused employee of Mumbai based firm contacted said CHA and informed that payment of bribe would be handed over to him at Delhi for further delivery to said DC and accused Superintendent of Customs. On 05.09.2024 CHA, allegedly, collected the bribe amount and delivered a bribe amount of Rs 50,000 to the accused Superintendent through accused employee of Delhi based firm at ICD, Tughlakabad. It was also alleged that the said CHA would be delivering the rest of the amount to accused DC as bribe on 06.09.2024 at his office at ICD, Tughlakabad," said a CBI official.
CBI laid a trap on 06.09.2024 and apprehended accused Deputy Commissioner, accused official of ICD and Custom House Agent (CHA) during exchange of illegal gratification of Rs. 72,000/- in lieu of imposing a reduced penalty on a Mumbai based firm.
CBI also apprehended accused Superintendent ICD, Tughlakabad who was allegedly paid illegal gratification of Rs. 50,000/- on 05.09.2024. Arrested accused were produced before the Competent Court of Special Judge for CBI Cases and were remanded to CBI custody till 14.09.2024.
