KARACHI: The Customs Court Judge Syed Faiz Rasool Rashdi on Friday directed customs officials to make sure to file their comments on next date of hearing on a bail petition filed by Muhammad Ibrahim son of Abba Hussain, who was booked in a case of attempting to smuggle betel nuts in the garb of soap stock. During the hearing, counsel for the customs department seeks time for submitting comments therefore, court adjourned the hearing.
On last date of hearing, above mentioned accused appeared before the court along with his counsel who moved bail petition and argued that as per prosecution, brief facts of the prosecution case are that M/s Ali Bagh Enterprises, Karachi imported a consignment said to contain soap stock 71250 kilograms and filed goods declaration, during the examination betel nuts were recovered from the container concealed with soap stock in drums, upon detailed examination 8400 kilograms betel nuts and 71250 kilograms soap stock were recovered.
He had argued that customs authorities seized the consignment as the importer do not have a valid import permit, valid and release order of the department of plant protection, ministry of national food security and research to import the recovered betel nuts as compulsorily required.
He had submitted that according to the prosecution above mentioned suspect who is a clearing agent and running his business under the title of M/s EQA Corporation and never engaged in imports side, who disclosed that his friend of requested him for some user ID to import consignments of soap stock on regular basis, therefore, he arranged filling of the impugned goods declaration through M/s Fasterline Business against payment of Rs. 5000 per container agreed with its proprietor Syed Sarfaraz Jussain, the customs officials arrested Muhammad Ibrahim and registered case against him and other suspects.
Counsel argued that accused is innocent and has been falsely implicated in this case as he has no concern with the alleged crime and he is neither importer nor clearing agent and as such he has no role in the import and clearance of the consignment in question. He submitted that accused is willing to join investigation to clarify his position and to unearth the actual persons involved in illegal import.
