KARACHI: A two-member committee comprising Additional Collector (ADC) Irfan Javed and Additional Collector Akram Ahmed formed for investigating the dubious clearance of 1900 vehicles during the period of June-2012 to November-2013 under Vehicles Amnesty Scheme (VAS) has asked the Customs officials who were appointed in Car Group (Group-VII) during that period to provide all documents regarding the clearance of vehicles under the Scheme.
Sources informed Customs Today that the authorities concerned of MCC Appraisement-West and MCC Preventive after thorough scrutiny of the clearing agents and shipping agents documents in connection with the clearance of vehicles under amnesty scheme during the period of June-2012 to November-2013 have sent a detailed report to the committee.
Sources disclosed that the authorities concerned of both the Collectorates i.e. MCC Appraisement-West and MCC Preventive after scrutinizing the entire data have found that the role of clearing agents and shipping agents was insignificant as compared to Customs officials who were deployed in the Car Group (Group-VII).
“The authorities concerned of MCC Appraisement-West have already adjourned the hearing against 37 clearing agents to whom the show-cause notices were issued by competent authority in connection with their alleged involvement in clearance of vehicles”, sources added.
MCC Appraisement-West had asked the clearing agents in the show-cause notices to present their view point on clearance of vehicles under amnesty scheme. Later, the authorities adjourned hearing for 10 days, that thorough investigation was needed by the Customs officials of Car Group into the matter. Sources further said that the then Customs officials of Car Group would play a significant role into the investigation of VAS scam.
Revelations of previous fact-finding committee had already highlighted a shortfall of Rs 450 million in share of surcharge on import of vehicles under Amnesty Scheme. Committee in its report also recommended a complete audit of all the then Customs officers deployed in Car Group (Group-VII).
Authorities concerned of MCC Appraisement-West and MCC Appraisement-East claimed that the demand notices against importers involved in clearance of vehicles during the tenure of June, 2012 to November, 2013 were already issued. Rs 328 million out of Rs 450 million against 1397 vehicles out of 1900 vehicles were recovered; while Rs 122 million are yet to be recovered.
Complaints regarding the unlawful clearance of vehicles under amnesty scheme were registered in the Office of the Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) in year 2014 in which the complainants were of the view that the violation of SRO144(1)/2012 was witnessed in clearance of vehicles under Amnesty Scheme.
Later, Member Customs Nisar Muhammad Khan formed a committee in order to investigate the facts and figures in the clearance of 1900 vehicles under Amnesty Scheme from June, 2012 to November, 2013.
