PESHAWAR: Customs Dry Port has cleared 701 illegal consignments from 2015 to 2017 revealed through documents and caused loss of billions to customs exchequer.
According to documents received by Customs Today that a high level interrogation has been carrying on to trace the corruption been done to clear consignments as amnesty to import old and used cars.
Customs Today has been the first to disclose the fraud carried out Dry Port Peshawar from 2015 to 2017 where different appraisers cleared illegal consignments.
Earlier the customs department initiated departmental investigations against Ather Naveed the then deputy collector of Customs at Dry Port Peshawar as he was senior officer at Customs Dry Port Peshawar without any verification and did not perform his duties hence misused his authority and illegally cleared the consignments in violation of the applicable rules.
While accused Malik Aman, Mumraz Alhaaj Gul and others being superintendents cleared and out of charged the consignments in violation of the applicable rules. They in connivance with each other and other accused person’s illegally assessed and cleared 488 consignments and caused loss of Rs 9180.75 billion caused to the national exchequer.
The interim challan in FIR NO 32,33 & 34 dated 30-05-2017 filed by customs department were transferred u/s 16-A of NAO,1999 by Special Judge ,Customs Taxation and Anti-Smuggling Court Peshawar on 26-10-2017.
Since the challans which were transferred are interim in the nature and investigation had not been completed by any of the agency because of Peshawar High Court, Peshawar Process dings’ in WP No: 4336-P/2017.
The accused are behind the bars were arrested on 15-8-2017, 19-9-2017 and 2-11-2017 respectively and it is incumbent upon the investigation agency to submit interim reference against them.
Hence the interim reference against the arrested accused persons is being filed. Investigation against all other involved persons is in the progress because of their legal activities by challenging the process of section 16-A of the NAO, 1999 in Writ petition No. 4336-P/2017 which was disposed of on 29-11-2017. The answer to the queries subjective interrogation and defense point of accused concerned is yet to be obtained for final investigation.
Ex Principle Appraiser Customs Dry Port Peshawar during the period from2015 to 2017 cleared 213 illegal consignments which were supposed to be confiscated and auctioned under the provisions of Customs Act, 1969 and persons leveled in the matter were liable for fines of more than ten times of the worth of the goods.
Shahid Akbar in convenience with other accused persons misused his authority and cleared machinery worth Rs 269.24 million in violation of the Customs Acts, 1969, Import Policy order, 2016 and foreign exchange manual where as the market value of the said machinery was Rs 1314.78 million so far colossal loss of Rs 4007.17 million.
Ex Appraiser Abdul Hadi at Customs Dry Port Peshawar has illegally cleared 226 consignments from 2015 to 2017when he was appraiser. He misused his authority and cleared the said machinery in violation of Customs Acts, 1969, Import Policy order, 2016 and foreign exchange manual. He illegally cleared machinery worth Rs 285.67 million whereas market valve of the same is Rs1395.02 million.
Whereas Hidayat Ullah Appraiser Customs Dry Port Peshawar illegally cleared 262 consignments from 2016 to 2017. He misused his authority and cleared the said machinery in violation of the Customs Acts, 1969 Import order 2016 and Foreign exchange manual. The accused cleared illegally machinery worth Rs 331, 81 million where as the market valve of the same is Rs 1617.23 thus caused colossal loss of Rs 4929.01 million.
