KARACHI: Irfan Javed, Director, Directorate General of Intelligence and Investigations (DIT), Pakistan Customs has forwarded eleven (11) contravention reports against Ms Zubair Steel, Ms Muhammad Rizwan and Brothers and others on charges of alleged evasion of duty, taxes and others worth rupees 82,674011.
In a letter dated Jan 06, 2020, the Adjudication Collectorate concerned was requested to initiate necessary Adjudication proceedings against all the accused parties/persons in terms of section 179 of the Customs Act 1969. The collectorate concerned was also informed of the order passed by the Customs Appellate bench of High Court of Sindh dated 23 , 24-12-2019 and 01-01-2020 in CP-No 231, 296, 610, 611,1145, 3203, 6541, 6802, 6978 to 6982, 7078 to 7080, 7145, 7428 of 2019. The parties as per title of petitions include Steel Vision, Royal Impex, Balochistan Engineering Works and others.
The SHC in its judgment has ruled that after joint examination of the goods in dispute (Steel Sheets), the controversy be settled through Adjudication Proceedings. The court also declared the action of holding the consignments without reaching EPZ as unlawful.
The DIT was however set a liberty to initiate lawful proceedings against the petitioners irrespective of the aforesaid adjudication proceedings by the collectorate concerned (Export Processing Zone) provided that there is concrete material available with them, which may required their (DIT’s) intervention. The DIT was also allowed to prepare contravention report strictly in accordance with law while keeping in consideration relevant SRO’s as well as directives issued by the FBR in this regard and case laws on the subject.
According to sources, the evasion scam may turn out to be the biggest ever scam as it involves over 300 consignments and may earn revenues worth billions if honest prevails in the process.