MUMBAI, MAY 17: A letter sent by a Mumbai resident to the Central Vigilance Commissioner N Vittal and the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) in Delhi, has wound its way to Mumbai Custom House, creating quite a flutter. The letter has a list appended, containing details of cars in the personal use of customs officers including appraisers. The letter-writer has sought an inquiry into how the officers have acquired these cars and how they can maintain them, when some of them earn only Rs 10,000 as salary.The letter seems to have travelled to many offices in Delhi, evident from notings on it, before it reached Mumbai.Sources revealed that the letter gives details about officers residing in the customs staff colony in Powai and alleges that over 50 per cent of them, including appraisers, preventive officers, superintendents and class one officers like deputy commissioners, seem to be owning cars. The list has registration numbers of 80 vehicles. The letter-writer has also questioned how these officers could afford to spend Rs 130 (at the least) daily, on petrol, considering that the colony at Powai is at least 30 km away from bothCustom House, and Nhava Sheva.While most of the cars are Maruti 800s, the occasional Zen or 118NE also features in the list, and some vehicles which are driven by chauffeurs, are faithfully distinguished by the letter-writer.Only officers of the rank of joint commissioner and above are entitled to official cars.Sources reveal the letter seems to have been written some months back, and is seen as another fallout of the unsettling events in November last when customs officers were caught red-handed in a surprise check by the CBI at the air cargo complex. At least one of the notings on the letter is of March 2000, sources reveal.Chief commissioner of customs, G S Tampi, however, was non-committal when asked if he had ordered an inquiry based on the letter. He said the `concerned authorities' in the department had been told, and if there was ``anything tangible'' he would let us know.
