A 51-year-old businessman, the managing director of Crest Speciality Resins, has lodged a complaint against two persons, Pravin Bhanushali and Darshit Bhanushali, for allegedly duping him of Rs 5.87 crore by forging payment slips of customs department, and demand drafts.
Harshad Naik, a resident of Ambli, on Friday registered a case against Bhanusali with Vastrapur police stating that his firm has got an advance licence for imports, as a result the firm was not required to pay customs duty and IGST.
In 2016, Naik came in contact with Pravin of Pratha Shipping Agency that was into customs clearance.
Naik appointed Pravin to carry out imports for his firm. Pravin was paid a certain amount on the value of the goods imported. The company used to inform Pravin when to use the advance licence for imports.
In 2019, Pravin informed Naik that he was closing his firm but would continue to serve his clients through Global Clearance and Logistics whose owner was Darshit.
In 2022, Naik sent an export consignment to Africa. He stated that the necessary documents were processed, and the consignment was to be sent through Emirate Shipping. He stated that despite getting the bill of lading, Pravin informed him that he had not got the documents. When a complaint was lodged, the next day the bill of lading was given.
Naik stated that when he asked Pravin and Darshit to give all bills and documents related to exports, they failed to provide them.
On checking details on the customs department’s website, he realized that he had been cheated. Even the challans and demand drafts were not issued by the bank. Naik claimed that the receipt of the payment from the customs was forged.
A case under IPC Section 406 (criminal breach of trust), 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant, or by banker, merchant or agent), 420 (cheating), 465 (forgery), 467 (forgery of valuable security, will), 471 (using as genuine a forged document), 472 (making or possessing counterfeit seal), 475 (counterfeiting device or mark used for authenticating document), 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy) has been filed.
