CBI conducts raids on 20 exporters in Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur

NEW DELHI: The CBI on Friday conducted searches at 30 places in Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur and Nawanshahr in Punjab in connection with fraudulent transfer of money by customs officials in the accounts of about 20 exporters.

The money amounting to Rs 8 crore was allegedly fraudulently transferred in the form of supplementary duty drawback claims, a CBI spokesperson said in a release.

CBI has registered a criminal case under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act against two customs officials and others for defrauding the government to the extent of Rs 8 crore.

It has also been alleged that during 2004-06, supplementary duty drawback claims of some exporters were accepted and payments made by some customs officials. The claims were processed without any actual physical receipt of such claims by manipulating and creating false records in the data base in the computers of the customs office.

Duty drawback claims were credited into the bank accounts of the exporters electronically and subsequently the money was utilised by the exporters, CBI said.