CBI court sentences 3 accused to 3-year jail terms, imposes Rs 50,000 fine on each for loss to public exchequer

New Delhi [India], April 5 : Designated court of Central Bureau of Investigation sentenced three accused to three years' rigorous imprisonment with total fine of Rs 1.5 lakh in a case related to causing loss to government exchequer.
"The Special Judge for CBI cases, Gandhinagar has sentenced Roop Narayan Meena, then Superintendent and Rahul R. Chhabra, then Inspector, both of Central Excise and Customs, Jamnagar and Shri Ankit D. Changani, Partner of Amardeep Export, GIDC, Dared, Jamnagar to three years' rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs. 50,000 each, in a case related to extending undue favour to a private company and causing loss of Rs 70.25 lakh to the Govt. Exchequer," the CBI release said.
After the money trail, the CBI Court found above three accused guilty and sentenced them accordingly, according to CBI release.
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had registered a case in the year 2016 against accused including those convicted on allegations that accused then Supdt. & then Inspector, Central Excise and Customs, Jamnagar had abused their official positions, while entering into criminal conspiracy with then partner of M/s. Amardeep Exports.
"It was also alleged that the accused fraudulently endorsed wrong verification (under their seal & signatures) in their examination report and showed undue favour to M/s Amardeep Exports. Thereby, wrongfull loss was caused to the government exchequer and corresponding wrongfull gain to M/s Amardeep Exports, Jamnagar." the release read.
After completion of the investigation, CBI filed charge-sheet against the three accused on June 29, 2016. The investigation revealed that M/s. Amardeep Exports, GIDC Phase-II, Jamnagar is a partnership EOU (Export Oriented Unit), with partners Shri Ankit Changani and Shri Dinesh Changani. Shri R.N.Meena, Superintendent and Rahul Chhabra, Inspector, had supervised, examined and verified the stuffing of container by way of Examination Report under their seal and signatures. They had also sealed the container, so that there is no need for further examination at the port by the Customs Department.
According to CB release, M/s. Amardeep Exports filed Shipping Bill dated 29.10.2015 with Customs, Mundra. The goods were declared as Brass Electrical Parts, Brass Terminal, valued for Rs. 1.08 Crore for exports to Dubai, UAE. During examination of the container containing the consignment, it was found that the entire container was stuffed with cement bricks and blocks packed in 724 boxes and not with Brass Electrical Parts as declared by the Exporter. It is further learnt that the total duty benefit availed on raw material as per the ARE-1 (Application for Removal of Excisable Goods for Exports) by M/s. Amardeep Exports against the alleged export was Rs. 23,30,27.
Similarly, the duty forgone on the Mix Metal Brass Scrap found short of 99.776 MT as reported in October 2015 ER-II form also amounts to Rs. 4890140. Hence, the Government Exchequer has been cheated for a total amount of Rs.7025618 by Shri Ankit D. Changani, Partner M/s. Amardeep Exports in conspiracy with accused public servants.
It was further alleged that the M/s. Amardeep Exports not only evaded import duty on raw material (Brass scrap) but also became eligible to claim 5 per cent duty draw back on such exports and cheated the Government by preparing false Freight on Board(FOB) value shipping bills.
CBI Investigation also revealed that R.N. Meena and Rahul Chhabra, abused their respective official positions, while entering into criminal conspiracy with Ankit D Changani Partner of M/s Amardeep Exports, and dishonestly & fraudulently endorsed wrong verification (under their seal & signatures) in their examination report and showed undue favour to M/s Amardeep Exports, thereby caused wrongful loss to the Government Exhequer of Rs. Rs.7025618 and corresponding wrongful gain to M/s.Amardeep Exports, Jamnagar.