DELHI: The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has initiated a vigilance investigation following a factual enquiry report from the Department of Revenue (DoR) into allegations made by Wintrack Inc. regarding irregularities at Chennai Customs.
The CBIC in a post on X said that the DoR enquiry has found prima facie evidence warranting a detailed vigilance probe. The investigation is expected to be completed within four to six weeks.
To ensure the inquiry remains credible and impartial, CBIC has immediately relieved the officers identified in the report from their current responsibilities and transferred them out of the jurisdiction.
The report also points to possible cheating and private fraud involving the importer's own agents and intermediaries. Consequently, the licence of the Customs Broker Agent named in the report has been suspended under Regulation 16 of the Customs Brokers Licensing Regulations, 2018, pending the final outcome of the vigilance investigation. Additionally, a police complaint has been filed against the unauthorised intermediaries.
In a broader corrective step, CBIC is setting up a Task Force under the Member (Customs) to strengthen integrity and restore confidence in Customs operations. The Task Force will review all pending cases to ensure transparency and fairness, especially for MSMEs and small importers. It will also work to prevent misuse of authority or retaliation against complainants, ensure complete anonymity in faceless assessments, restrict access to Customs areas only to authorised agents, and improve grievance redressal through closer monitoring and regular reviews.
CBIC said these measures reaffirm the government's commitment to upholding integrity within the Customs administration, enhancing systemic transparency, and facilitating smooth trade and commerce.
