CBI nabs 2 Mumbai customs officers for graft

Mumbai, Feb 25 The Central Bureau of Investigation swooped on the New Customs House here and nabbed an Assistant Commissioner of Customs and a Superintendent of Customs in an alleged bribery case, officials said here on Thursday.

The officials are identified as A. P. Bandekar and Niraj K. Singh, respectively, who were produced before a court and sent to custody till February 27.

According to a complaint, a Kolhapur-based company had purchased 74 kg silver from an Ahmedabad supplier on October 5, 2020.

Of this, 60 kg silver in two packets was sent from Gujarat to Maharahstra but it was seized by the Customs Department here the following day.

The complainant attended the enquiry held by Superintendent of Customs (Preventive) Singh at the New Customs House and was taken to the Assistant Commissioner of Customs, Bandekar.

There, the complainant alleged that the duo demanded bribes of total Rs 19 lakh from him to clear the silver consignment.

Following the complaint, a CBI set a trap and nabbed Singh red-handed while accepting the bribe amount of Rs 2 lakh and Bandekar was caught later.

The CBI raided the offices and residences of both the officials to come up with certain incriminating documents. Further investigations are on.

( With inputs from IANS )