Mumbai Crime: Ex-Customs officer held for importing diesel illegally

A former Customs officer has been arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) for illegally importing diesel from Dubai to India via Nhava Sheva Port. DRI had received a tip-off about this nexus and on Saturday evening they went to the spot and seized the consignment worth over Rs 37 crore.

DRI sources said they have arrested three people, Indu Shekar, 51, a Powai resident and former Customs officer; Dharmendra Sajnani, 51, a Khar resident with alleged underworld links and Anjali Dube, 30, an Andheri resident and Indu's partner.

Sajnani was allegedly a prime accused in the 2000 murder of the manager of a Rajkot mill. He has been absconding for 17 years and had set up shop in Dubai. He was arrested when he was visiting Mumbai to meet his son.

The former Customs officer had resigned in 2004 after working as an examiner with Customs and started his own business. DRI sources said the arrested accused used to import High Speed Diesel from UAE by way of mis-declaration and undervaluation. The diesel was blended with other petrochemicals so as to change the composition and characteristics of the diesel and ensure that the same could pass for mixed hydrocarbon oil through customs and mis-declared in the shipping documents.

Sources also revealed that the accused had been doing this for more than a year, and had imported more than 91 metric tonnes of oil worth Rs 39 crore. The accused used to sell this diesel for Rs 55 rupees/litre against current market price of Rs 65/litre.

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