CBI nabs two for trying to bribe Customs officer

Mumbai: Two city residents were arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) Anti-Corruption Bureau on Saturday for allegedly trying to bribe a Customs officer.

According to CBI officers, the complainant, an Assistant Commissioner with the Customs (Marine and Preventive) Department in Mumbai, had seized a tempo containing mobile phone accessories worth ₹4 crore near CSMT earlier this month when it was trying to smuggle the goods into the city without paying Customs duty. Officers said the tempo belonged to Avista Multi Trade Pvt Ltd, and its director, Rajendra Singh Rajpurohit, subsequently met the complainant at his office to claim the seized goods.

A CBI officer said, “The complainant recorded Mr. Rajpurohit’s statement as part of the procedure and asked him to pay the Customs duty and fine to claim his goods earlier this week. On the same day, Himanshu Ajmera, a Customs broker by profession, approached the complainant on behalf of Mr Rajpurohit and offered to pay ₹10 lakh for releasing the goods,” a CBI officer said.

The Customs officer subsequently approached the CBI and after verifying his allegations, the CBI registered an offence against Mr. Rajpurohit and Mr. Ajmera. It laid a trap for the duo at the complainant’s office, and nabbed them while they were paying the bribe. They were charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act and produced in court, which remanded them in CBI custody for two days.