LAHORE: The Customs Appellate Tribunal has accepted the appeals of Shehanshah traders and 26 other complainants against the collector of customs (Appeals) Lahore and others. Tribunal also set aside the impugned order passed by the collector of customs Appeal.
According to the brief fact of the case , an information received by deputy collector of customs Lahore that some exporters are indulged in export against fake/fabricated form ‘E’. The customs staff checked the record of already exported consignments and it was observed that some exporters exported consignments through different shipping bills.
The verification of forms submitted by the customs clearing agents in different banks and banks concerned reported that form ‘E’ was not authenticated.
On the basis of information from banks, customs authorities issued show case notices to the exporters and customs clearing agents under Section 180 of the Customs Act-1969.
The notices were contested by the parties concerned and through order in original, the learned deputy collector of customs (Adjudication) found the charges levelled in the show case notice stand established and imposed penalty equal to ten times of customs value of consignment upon each exporter as well as customs clearing agents under Section 156(1)14 of Customs Act-1969. Some further directions were issued for cancellation of licences of customs clearance agents concerned.
The parties concerned, feeling aggrieved, filed appeal where collector concerned of customs passed order-in-original modified and penalty equal to ten times and reduced equal to value of goods.
Feeling dissatisfied and case was filed before the customs appellate tribunal against the order-in-original where customs appellate tribunal heard the case in details and accepted appeal in favour of appellant and set aside the impugned order.
