Mumbai: The CBI has launched a probe against a Customs officer from the Special Investigation and Intelligence Branch (Import) (SIIB-I), posted at Nhava Sheva, for allegedly demanding a bribe for releasing a container belonging to a chemical import firm in Vadodara.
About The Case
The CBI received a written complaint dated November 18 from a Navi Mumbai resident who works in the Vadodara firm, handling Customs work for import shipments, producing documents, reports and clarifications on request from the Customs department. On September 8, a shipment of the firm landed at JNPT, Navi Mumbai Port, from Jebel Ali Port, the UAE, containing toluene diisocyanate chemical.
The complainant had submitted the documents of said shipment to the Customs for clearance but it was detained by SlIB (I) for queries. The shipment was examined by an officer on September 10, in the presence of the complainant. Later, chemical samples were also sent for testing to the Customs lab, which raised no objection. However, the officer didn’t release the container and sent a summons to the firm on October 29 for submission of some documents.
The complainant met the officer in his office at Nhava Sheva, during which the latter allegedly demanded Rs 5 lakh to release the container. This was renegotiated to Rs 4 lakh. A complaint was lodged with the CBI, following which a case was registered.
