KARACHI: Collector Customs Adjudication Asif Marghoob Siddiqui relinquished the show-cause notice issued to Shahid Khatani son of Abdul Wahid Khatani and advised MCC Preventive that the seized goods i.e. gold bars and other items may be returned to the respondent.
Reportedly, while checking of vehicles including public transport, MCC Preventive stopped a public transport bus for checking of the luggage of passengers. During checking the Customs Preventive staff suspected a bag consisted of huge amount of gold bars.
The Customs staff asked the driver about the owner of the bag. The owner, who was later identified as Shahid Khatani son of Abdul Wahid Khatani, was asked to provide the legal proof of possession and transportation of gold. He told Customs authorities that he is a gold merchant and showed them his visiting card. The Customs Preventinve officials were however not satisfied with his answer and seized the bag contained of gold bars.
After detailed investigation, Collector Customs Asif Marghoob Siddiqui noted that the respondent Shahid Khatani successfully discharged burden of proof that the seized gold was not smuggled while MCC Preventive failed to establish the charge of smuggling.
Collector Adjudication vacated the show cause notice and ordered MCC Preventive to return the seized goods.
