ISLAMABAD: The Secretary (Legal Customs-I) in a letter addressed to Director (Hqrs) Intelligence & Investigation-Customs has communicated the grant of approval to file Civil Petition for Leave to Appeal (CPLA) against a judgment of High Court of Sindh in a petition filed by Royal Impex, Pvt Ltd, K.E.P.Z.
The approval is conditional to the raising of proposed questions of law proposed by Directorate of I&I.
The bench also accorded approval for appointing Syed Rifaqat Hussain Shah advocate as departments legal counsel on payment of Special Fee in this case.
The letter also conveyed that competent authority has also taken serious notice of in-ordinate delay in filing of CPLA. A probe has been ordered to ascertain the reasons for such delay and for identification of delinquent officials if any.
The case pertains to 9 consignments imported by the Royal Impex which allegedly routed the tarrif area goods to EPZ allegedly by tempering import documents wherein foreign exchange was paid from Pakistani Banks while as per EPZ Rules 1984, for all goods destined for EPZ, Investor shall have to arrange foreign exchange from his own resources without involving country’s foreign exchange. The allegation also include mis-declaration and value as well.
As per details Royal impex filed a constitution petition before the High Court of Sindh which allowed provisional release to the importer.
The IO of the case advised the department to not to release the consignment as according to IO, the order was clear and said that goods be released to actual importer. IO was of the view that the actual ownership is yet to be ascertained. The petitioner/imported filed a contempt of court application and proceedings were initiated in the same.
The I&I then decided to seek approval for challenging the judgment of SHC which was finally approved and now CPLA will be filed.