Delhi Businessman arrested for Evasion of Customs Duty worth Rs. 2 Crore via False Declarations in Importing 63 Heavy Cranes

Customs agents apprehended a Delhi-based businessman on Friday as a result of his involvement in an extensive plot aimed at evading customs duties during the previous two years.

The accused imported 63 large cranes by providing false information, specifically claiming that they were old and used. This deception enabled him to reduce the duty payments related with the importation of these cranes.

The arrest occurred after the accused was presented before a magistrate’s court in Mumbai, where he was later remanded to judicial custody.

Customs officers launched an investigation based on intelligence, and their concerns were raised a few months ago when they intercepted one of the imported cranes for a comprehensive examination, according to sources. The analysis revealed that the documentation outlining the crane acquisitions were false, prompting a more thorough investigation into the accused’s actions.

During the examination, further investigation revealed the accused’s sophisticated fraudulent practice. He had falsely registered the majority of the imported cranes with the Gujarat Regional Transport Office (RTO), claiming that they were either new or only two years old.

Because the Customs duty on imported cranes is calculated based on their depreciation value, this distortion was critical in manipulating the system. Depending on the age of the machine, the method allows for a maximum decrease of 60% from the actual machine value.

An official involved in the case revealed that the accused abused the system by presenting the cranes as more than ten years old in order to pay lower customs fees. Simultaneously, he abused the system by registering the cranes with the RTO as new or only a few years old, so extending their perceived duration of use.

Because of this twin deceit, the accused was able to drastically lower the customs charges payable on the imported cranes.

The usual cost of a crane is around Rs. 2 crore, and the accused guy managed to swindle the government of Rs. 2 crore in customs duties through his fraudulent practices.