After official pays fine,arrest warrant revoked

A Delhi court on Tuesday issued a non-bailable warrant against a customs commissioner after non-compliance with the court’s earlier order to pay a fine of Rs 23,307 to two accused in a duty evasion case. The warrant was,however,revoked after the fine was paid.

The arrest warrant against the commissioner of customs was ordered by Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ajay Pandey. Tilak Nagar Station House Officer was directed to make the arrest,but in the post-lunch session,Pandey said the money had been submitted. “If the warrants are not yet executed,there is no need to execute the same and if the warrants are executed,the officer be released unconditionally”.

The fine had been imposed on the customs commissioner for delaying the trial of the two people accused in a smuggling case in 1997. Judge Pandey felt the Customs department was merely prolonging the case. “It seems the department is more interested in harassing the two accused than in justice,” the judge said.

One of the accused,Subhash Gandhi,lives in Mumbai while the other,Harish Gandhi,lives in Dubai.