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Journalism of Courage
The car import racket is bigger that thought. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) claims it has found evidence to suggest the cartel is spread far and wide and plans to send notices to the owners of the high-end luxury cars imported from UK and other countries.
The role of UK-based A K International run by UK national Ashwin Kalra had earlier come to light after which the DRI arrested one Sumit Walia,an alleged car importer,in New Delhi.
The agency has come across several cases where the duty evaded runs into several crores. We are planning to send notices under Customs Act to those who have been identified, said an official.
Officials also examined a New Delhi-based businessman,Sanjiv Aggarwal,who is alleged to have purchased a Bentley car from an embassy official. The car was seized by the DRI after it came to light it was imported in the name of a North Korean diplomat in New Delhi.
Under this arrangement,embassy officials provide an exemption certificate where no duty is imposed on the import of the vehicle. The North Korean embassy official is then learnt to have allegedly sold the vehicle to Aggarwal for a hefty commission. The deal was brokered by Walia,who is in judicial custody.
The DRI is learnt to have written to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to take up the matter with the North Korean and Vietnamese embassies.
The agency,which had so far seized nearly 41 top-of-the-line cars and some sports bikes,said they have also discovered several bank accounts that were used to make payments.
DRIs Delhi Zonal head R K Sharma told The Indian Express,It is an ongoing investigation and I cannot divulge details. However,investigations have revealed that ill-gotten money has been used to purchase high-end luxury cars.
