KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has restrained the customs officials from taking any coercive action against M/s Digicom Trading (Private) Limited (Q Mobile) in smuggled mobile phones case till next date of hearing.
Earlier, the customs authorities raided the premises of the company and allegedly recovered smuggled mobile phones in large number and lodged a first information report against the company.
While the hearing of the constitutional petition, a two-member bench comprising Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Omer Sial also issued notices to the customs authorities and deputy attorney general, directing them to file their respective para wise comments on the next date of hearing.
During the hearing, counsel for the petitioner stated that it is engaged in lawful business and fulfills all the responsibilities properly. However, the customs authorities raided different premises of the petitioner and detained legitimate stock of mobile phones worth more than Rs 1.5 billion. The counsel argued that the customs authorities also humiliated and harassed the employees of the petitioner.
Citing Secretary Ministry of Finance, Chairman Federal Board of Revenue, Chief Collector of Customs South, the Collector of Customs Preventive, Superintendent Preventive, Samina Tasleem Zehra, Director Intelligence and Investigation-FBR, Waqar Qureshi Principle Appraiser, Kakhar Ali Shah Investigation officer as respondents, petitioner pleaded the court may declare that act of the respondents is illegal, mala fide and arbitrary.
He also pleaded the court may restrain them from taking any coercive action against the petitioner till final order in this petition. Counsel argued that court also directing them no to lodge any FIR against the petitioner.
