KARACHI: The Acting Judge of the Customs Taxation and Anti-Smuggling Court Syed Arshad Noor Khan has granted interim pre-arrest bail to suspects namely Muhammad Shahid, Abdul Samad and Sher Ameen who were allegedly involved in mis-declaration and imported restricted kerosene oil under the garb of white spirit.
During the hearing, counsel for the suspects informed the court that their clients were innocent and were falsely been booked in this case. He said that they are ready to face trail, however, they have apprehension of arrest from the customs department, therefore, the court may granted them bails.
After the arguments, the court granted bail against the surety of Rs 500,000 each and issued notices to the investigation officer and special prosecutor for customs department. The court also directed the accused to appear before the court on the next date of hearing.
It needs to be pertained here that on last week, investigation officer had produced a suspect namely Irfan Ahmed, being import manager and had informed that on credible information, was received in the Directorate General to the effect that SMD Sons North Karachi, have been involved in the fraudulent clearance of kerosene oil under the garb of import of while sprit shipped from Singapore with your active connivance at their other compliance by violating import restrictions imposed vide import policy order 2016, officials of the Directorate General intercepted several oil tankers bearing registration numbers TUB-122, LOK-7437 and others and recovered the said mis-declared goods.
According to the investigation officer, after formalities, said goods were seized and were sent for verification, he submitted that examination report confirmed that chemical analysis through lab test it transpired that instead of white sprit the importer had imported kerosene oil and it has also been found that importer have earlier illegally cleared huge quantity of restricted said oil under the garb of white sprit.
He had argued that prosecution needs further investigation of this matter; therefore, court may send him back to customs department on physical remand.
After his arguments, court had sent him back to customs department and directed the investigation officer to produce him on next date of hearing.
According to the prosecution, case was registered for violation of section (s) 16, 32 (1) 79 (1) of the customs act, 1969 punishable under section 156 (1) (8) (14) (43) (81) (82) (89) & 157 (2) ibid, read with section 3 (1) 3 of the import restriction vide appendix-B (parts-II) to IPO 2016, further read with clauses (a) & (b) preamble to SRO 499 (1)/ 2009 dated 13.6.2009, further read with SRO 566(1)/2005 dated 06/06/2005.
