KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) adjourned the hearing of Rs 50 million lawsuit against the collector, additional collector and deputy collector of the Model Customs Collectorate of Appraisement-East for alleged evasion of over Rs 430 million in duties and taxes.
The suit filed by Royal Packages requested the court to order the defendants to pay Rs 50 million damages for ‘deliberately’ accusing the importer of tax evasion.
On Thursday, a single-member bench of the SHC ordered the plaintiff’s counsel to remove an objection raised by the defendants’ lawyers.The plaintiff said that it has come to know about the accusation from newspapers on May 24, 2014. The news quoting customs officials accused the plaintiff of contravention of SRO No. 811/2009 resulting in the evasion of duties and taxes of over Rs 430 million. The Customs Department had also slapped an additional Rs 40 million penalty.
The court ordered the respondents not to take action against the petitioner. The court later suspended the ONO and ordered the customs authorities to release the consignments.The court would hear the lawsuit next week.
