KARACHI: The Customs Court framed charge against Basharat Ali, owner of M/s A.H International and others and issued summons to prosecution witnesses for recording their statements on next date of hearing in first information report (FIR) for illegal removal of into-bond goods by evading legitimate government revenue amounting to Rs17. 79 million.
On 23 November 2021, during the hearing, accused persons and their counsels, special prosecutor for customs department, investigation officer and others attended the court. After the formalities, court framed charges and asked the suspect whether they would plead guilty or not, however, the suspect denied the allegation, therefore, court issued summons to prosecution witnesses for recording their statements for next date of hearing.
Earlier, the court had approved an interim charge sheet which was submitted by the investigation officer on the last date of hearing, court also supplied copies of the case documents to the counsels for suspects and directed them to come prepared for framing charges on the next date of hearing.
Investigation officer had informed the court that on an-actionable information, customs team visited the premises of the bond, as per its preliminary investigations, above mentioned importers imported 17 consignments of miscellaneous goods and filed in-bond goods declarations through clearing agent M/s Mass Brothers International for removal therefore to the aforesaid bond.
He further informs the court that thereafter, the goods were illegal and clandestinely removed without payment of leviable duty and taxes by the importer/ clearing agent.
Investigation officer added that as per stock-taking reports, the goods of 17 goods declarations cleared form Collectorate of Customs Port Muhammad Bin Qasim, Karachi were found to have been illegally removed by the culprits, the rile of bonded warehouse titled M/s VIP Customs Bonded Warehouse, Karachi in the illegal removal of dutiable goods without actual payment in government treasury shall be determined during course of further investigation.
