Adani case: 2 customs officers arrested

Two customs and central excise officers have been arrested by the CBI in connection with a tax evasion scam in Panaji that also saw arrest of Ahmadabad-based Adani Group MD Rajesh Adani.

Both the senior officers were arrested on Monday from their residences in Goa, CBI's Anti Corruption Bureau SP S S Gavli told PTI on Tuesday, refusing to divulge the exact location and names and designations of the officers.

The duo would be taken for a remand in a local court, he said, adding, "The excise officers arrested are currently in services and were involved in the scam that took place sometimes during 2006-07."

The accused are among the 10 excise officials under suspicion in connection with the multi-crore scam.

Adani, who was arrested last week by CBI in Gujarat, was released on interim bail from the Gujarat high court, a little before he was brought to Goa on transit remand.

The Goa wing of the CBI had received a complaint in 2008 which claimed excise evasion on three consignments of naphtha and furnace oil.

Besides this, the accused had stored the material in the state despite requisite licence for the same had expired.

The scam was calculated to the tune of Rs 1.07 crore (Rs 10.7 million) of which Rs 88 lakhs (Rs 8.8 million) were in the form of excise tax evasion and rest in warehousing facility.

The central agency has also booked a case against two firms -- Mumbai-based clearing house firm Ganesh Benzoplast and J A F Leitao and Sons in Goa -- under IPC sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating and dishonesty inducing delivery of property) and Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

Image: Rajesh Adani