Dept nears finalisation of fake customs declaration forms tally
KATHMANDU:
Department of Customs is finalising the tallying process of suspected fake customs declaration form by tomorrow, according to Department of Revenue Investigation (DRI).
Department of Revenue Investigation had requested Department of Customs to tally around 150 forms, whether they were real or fake transactions. The customs is giving the details of verified and non-verified customs declaration forms among the 150 cases, a DRI source said.
The DRI has suspected some Rs 1 billion Indian Currency (IC) misappropriation from the 150 suspected fake customs declaration forms.
It will start taking action against the firms once it will receive investigation report from customs office, the source said, adding that it will start investigation of other suspected forms, once it will complete action against the 150 cases.
The Department of Customs said that all the fake customs declaration forms have been produced independently by the traders and firms. “The forms have no connection to the customs offices,” the department’s director general Tanka Mani Sharma said, adding that the traders and the firms produced the fake forms alongwith false transaction to misuse Indian Currency.
The DRI has planned to deploy a team to investigate the cases at the local level too. It will deploy a team to study the actual situation of IC misappropriation and fake customs declaration forms.
After completing the investigation in Birgunj, it will start additional investigation in other districts as well, director general of DRI Shanta Bahadur Shrestha said, adding that the department, though, has already started investigation in Biratnagar, Butwal, Bhairahawa and other districts bordering to India, it will expedite investigation of other districts after Birgunj.
Meanwhile, Nepal Rastra Bank has started its field investigation into the IC misappropriation scam. A team of central bank officials are in Birgunj to carry out investigation of fake transaction through banks. The team will be in Birgunj for five more days. It will assess even a single case rigorously and prepare a report.
The central bank is carrying out the study on whether there is weakness at the policy level or not, spokesperson of NRB Bhaskar Mani Gyanwali informed, adding that the bank is supporting the DRI to investigation the cases.
NBL’s involvement also suspected
Department of Revenue Investigation has suspected the involvement of Nepal Bank Ltd in fake customs declaration form scam, according to DRI. “It is suspected that the traders misused Rs 890,000 IC from Nepal Bank Ltd,” director general Shanta Bahadur Shrestha told The Himalayan Times.
Govt employees under scanner
Central Revenue Leakages Control Committee under Finance Ministry has decided to put the employees at different customs offices also under the scanner. After receiving complaints of their involvement in irregularities, the committee in its meeting on Thursday took the decision. Similarly, the committee also decided to deploy employees of Inland Revenue Department and Department of Revenue Investigation to different malls, department stores and big shops to check whether they are issuing real Value Added Tax (VAT) bill or not.
Source: THT
Department of Customs is finalising the tallying process of suspected fake customs declaration form by tomorrow, according to Department of Revenue Investigation (DRI).
Department of Revenue Investigation had requested Department of Customs to tally around 150 forms, whether they were real or fake transactions. The customs is giving the details of verified and non-verified customs declaration forms among the 150 cases, a DRI source said.
The DRI has suspected some Rs 1 billion Indian Currency (IC) misappropriation from the 150 suspected fake customs declaration forms.
It will start taking action against the firms once it will receive investigation report from customs office, the source said, adding that it will start investigation of other suspected forms, once it will complete action against the 150 cases.
The Department of Customs said that all the fake customs declaration forms have been produced independently by the traders and firms. “The forms have no connection to the customs offices,” the department’s director general Tanka Mani Sharma said, adding that the traders and the firms produced the fake forms alongwith false transaction to misuse Indian Currency.
The DRI has planned to deploy a team to investigate the cases at the local level too. It will deploy a team to study the actual situation of IC misappropriation and fake customs declaration forms.
After completing the investigation in Birgunj, it will start additional investigation in other districts as well, director general of DRI Shanta Bahadur Shrestha said, adding that the department, though, has already started investigation in Biratnagar, Butwal, Bhairahawa and other districts bordering to India, it will expedite investigation of other districts after Birgunj.
Meanwhile, Nepal Rastra Bank has started its field investigation into the IC misappropriation scam. A team of central bank officials are in Birgunj to carry out investigation of fake transaction through banks. The team will be in Birgunj for five more days. It will assess even a single case rigorously and prepare a report.
The central bank is carrying out the study on whether there is weakness at the policy level or not, spokesperson of NRB Bhaskar Mani Gyanwali informed, adding that the bank is supporting the DRI to investigation the cases.
NBL’s involvement also suspected
Department of Revenue Investigation has suspected the involvement of Nepal Bank Ltd in fake customs declaration form scam, according to DRI. “It is suspected that the traders misused Rs 890,000 IC from Nepal Bank Ltd,” director general Shanta Bahadur Shrestha told The Himalayan Times.
Govt employees under scanner
Central Revenue Leakages Control Committee under Finance Ministry has decided to put the employees at different customs offices also under the scanner. After receiving complaints of their involvement in irregularities, the committee in its meeting on Thursday took the decision. Similarly, the committee also decided to deploy employees of Inland Revenue Department and Department of Revenue Investigation to different malls, department stores and big shops to check whether they are issuing real Value Added Tax (VAT) bill or not.
Source: THT
