KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) directed customs officials to act strictly accordance with law on a petition filed by M/s Deezina Textile against lodging first information report (FIR) allegedly involvement in tax evasion case.
On 2 March 2020, while the hearing of petition, a two-member bench, headed by Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi also directing them to file their respective para wise comments for next date of hearing.
During the hearing, counsel for the petitioner stated in his constitutional petition that during the course of its business, petitioner imported a consignment of inter lining material (polyester knitted coral fabric in rolls) and filed goods declaration by claiming benefit to be exempted from the while customs duty and sales tax on this temporary importation of the goods for subsequent exportation under SRO 492(1)/2009 dated June 13, 2009.
He further submitted that the goods were duly examined and assessed by the competent authorities in accordance with law wherein the benefit of exemption under SRO 492(1)/2009 was granted to the petitioner subject to submission of indemnity bond along with post-dated cheque equivalent to the amount of customs duty and taxes otherwise leviable thereon and after fulfillment of all requirements the goods were release being out of charge.
Counsel argued that a demand notice for recovery of Rs8,430,409 dated Feb 20, 2020 has been issued by customs officials against petitioner and first information report (FIR) also has been registered dated Feb 22, 2020 against one of the partner namely Muhammad Arif Shaikh without any prove and given opportunity.
Citing chairman FBR, the Collector Port Muhammad Bin Qasim and Deputy Collector (Group-IV) MCC PMBQ as respondents, petitioner pleaded the court to declare that act of the respondents is illegal, malafide and arbitrary.
He further pleaded the court to restrain them from taking any coercive action against the petitioner till final order in this case.
