The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested the then Customs appraiser and three others for allegedly receiving ₹7 lakh in lieu of the import consignments earlier cleared by him at the Inland Container Depot (ICD) in Delhi’s Tuglakabad. Searches led to the seizure of about ₹1 crore in cash.
The accused have been identified as Saurav Sharma, the then appraiser who is currently posted with the office of the Commissioner of Customs in Chennai; customs house agent Neeraj, alleged middleman Ram Krishan Mishra and one Kishore Kumar.
It is alleged that the then appraiser at ICD-Tuglakabad had been regularly pursuing private parties and some officials for the payment of pending illegal gratifications, as he had helped clear import consignments during his tenure.
The parties approached the middleman to get the matter settled. At the official’s instance, the middleman paid ₹7 lakh to his contact person, Kishore Kumar. The agency arrested them and seized the alleged bribe amount.
Subsequently, searches were carried out on the premises of the accused persons in Delhi, Noida and Chennai. “In Noida, where the former appraiser’s father lives, about ₹1 crore in cash was seized,” said a CBI official.
