KARACHI: The Customs Court granted interim pre-arrest bail to owners/partners of M/s M.I Traders, Muhammad Saleem son of Muhammad Hussain, Noor Ahmed son of Muhammad Hussain, importer/partner of the firm, who were booked in a tax evasion case.
On September 26, counsels for the accused/applicants moved bail applications and argued that their clients are innocents and were falsely implicated in this case; however, they are ready to face trial. However, they have apprehension of arrest, therefore, court may grant them bail till final order in this case.
After the hearing, court granted their interim pre-arrest bail against the surety of Rs300,000 each and directed them to appear before the court on next date of hearing.
According to the first information report (FIR), the above-mentioned importers declared their consignment of 78,387.75 kg hazelnut spread (nutella) worth Rs11,080,195 and paid Rs8,849,272 as duty and taxes. However, during the preliminary inquiry, it was revealed that actual prices of the said goods are Rs28,264,229 and importers had to pay Rs22,434,974.
Investigation officer has submitted that during the investigation, it was revealed that the above-mentioned and other associates have deliberately committed fiscal fraud as defined under Section 32-A of the Customs Act, 1969, further they have deliberately mis-declared C&F value of the impugned goods in their goods declaration and evaded precious government revenue to the tune of Rs13,585,702.
The FIR further revealed that the accused persons have committed crime of evasion of duties and taxes through mis-declaration of value by submitting fake and forget documents showing under invoiced/suppressed transaction value of the goods in terms of Section 32-A, 79 & 192 of the Customs Act, 1969 punishable under Clauses 14A, 46 & 86 of Section 156(i) of the Customs Act, 1969 read with allied laws.
