Customs export duty fraud: Mumbai police EOW arrests two from Surat
According to police complaint, between February and July 2022, the duo fraudulently sold duty credit scrip to the complainant and other companies on affordable and discounted rates.
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Officials from the Delhi police told Qureshi that some customs duty credit e-scrips have been stolen and the same have been redeemed by Tam India Pvt Ltd.The Mumbai police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) on Friday arrested two people from Surat in Gujarat in a Rs 12 crore cheating case.
Yogeshkumar Chalthanwala (53) and Sunil Bende alias Patel (55), both residents of Surat, were arrested on the complaint of Shreyash More (34), director of M/s Tam India Pvt Ltd., which is into import and export of base oil used in automobile and industrial works.
According to the EOW, the accused met the complainant in 2022 claiming they do business of customs duty credit scrips and are authorised representatives of Vaibhavi Tex Fables Pvt Ltd., S R Enterprises, Fabulous Corporation and GR Enterprises and others.
A duty credit scrip is an export incentive offered by the Government of India that can be used by exporters to offset their import duties.
According to police complaint, between February and July 2022, the duo fraudulently sold duty credit scrip to the complainant and other companies on affordable and discounted rates. The complainant bought them from the duo by duly verifying it.
The alleged fraud surfaced only after August last year when officers from IFSO unit of Delhi police’s cyber crime department summoned another director of Tam India Pvt Ltd Abdul Qureshi for inquiry in a fraud case.
Officials from the Delhi police told Qureshi that some customs duty credit e-scrips have been stolen and the same have been redeemed by Tam India Pvt Ltd.
Qureshi explained to Delhi police that his company bought customs duty credit scrips after due verification from ICEGATE portal and money is also paid in the accounts of concerned seller companies. This is when the complainant’s company realised that the Chalthanwala and Patel allegedly committed fraud.
Qureshi’s company then filed a fraud complaint against Chalthanwala and Patel in Mumbai’s Khar police station last month. The case was later transferred to the EOW for further investigation.
Probe revealed that the two accused similarly defrauded a few other companies and collectively defrauded them of Rs 12 crore, said a source.
Under the supervision of seniors, inspectors Pandurang Gavte and Pritam Banawle from EOW unit-12 arrested Chalthanwala and Patel from Surat. Senior inspector Sachin Kadam guided the team during the operation. The two are currently in EOW’s custody.
The two accused have been booked under relevant sections of the IPC and the Information Technology Act.
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