The office had released three trucks with registration number Na 2 Kha 6754, Na 2 Kha 9260 and Na 2 Kha 1642 on December 23, citing order of the Hetauda Appellate Court. Generally, revenue investigation offices move Supreme Court against the appeal court’s decision in revenue evasion cases. But in this case, the office released trucks carrying goods worth millions of rupees on the basis of appeal court’s decision alone.
District Police Office, Prasad had impounded the trucks after they failed to furnish invoice and customs clearance documents and handed them over to Revenue Investigation Office, Pathalaiya for necessary action. The trucks, which were carrying Kurta Salwar, suit pieces and other garments imported by Om Prakash Gupta of New Rahul Traders and of Madan Prasad Gupta of New Alka Traders, were heading to Kathmandu.
Sources at District Police Office, Parsa, informed that the decision to release trucks without filing case against the appeal court’s decision at the Supreme Court indicates link between smugglers and officials involved in revenue investigation.
A division bench of Judges Kulratan Bhurtel and Nagendra Lal Karna of Appellate Court of Hetauda had issued an order to release trucks based on customs declarations and invoice, according to officials involved in revenue investigation.
Gyanendra Raj Dhakal, chief of Revenue Investigation Office, Pathalaiya, said that they released the trucks after checking all documents as per the appeal court’s order. He, however, admitted that the office did not file case against the appeal court’s verdict at the Supreme Court.
Dhakal, however, said the office seized goods worth Rs 500,000 from the trucks and released other goods as per the customs clearance documents and the invoice furnished by the importers.
It is learnt that the same customs clearance documents and invoices have been used repeatedly to smuggle goods to evade taxes.
Talking to Republica over phone, Nirmal Hari Adhikari, director general of Department of Revenue Investigation, said goods under investigation cannot be released on the basis of Appellate Court’s order only. “There is a rule that requires revenue investigation officials to file a case against the appeal court’s order at the Supreme Court,” he said, adding that the department will take needful action against the revenue investigation officials if they are found to have breached existing rules and laws.
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