Customs Commissioner and three others remanded to police custody

Mumbai, Oct 6 (UNI) A Special CBI court today remanded Assistant Commissioner of Customs, Mumbai, Tapan Kumar Chakraborty and three others arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation to police custody till October 10.

All the four were produced before the special CBI judge R B Malik this afternoon and the special public prosecutor for CBI-ACB Ejaz Khan prayed the court for seven days police custody.

Mr Khan prayed that their custodial interrogation is required to recover further material evidence and to find out the details of their associates who are involved in collecting illegal gratification from different parties on behalf of the accused people.

The court was informed that Chakraborty, Pancratius Kiro, Appraiser, Customs house during March 15 to September five had obtained undue pecuniary advantage by corrupt and illegal means in connivance with two other arrested people, Sanjay Tanaji Zeemur and Pramod Kumar Singh, of Nikhil Shipping Agency here.

The search conducted yesterday at the residential premises of Chakrabory led the recovery of cash amounting to Rs 17 lakh and incriminating documents showing investments in movable and immovable properties amounting to Rs 38 lakh were seized. Two bank lockers found in joint name with his wife are yet to be searched.

In Kiro's residence, documents showing huge bank deposits of Rs 12 lakh, moveable and immovable properties worth about Rs 12 lakh and two bank lockers in his wife's name were found.

During search of Sanjay's residence, cash amounting to Rs 3,71,000 and documents of huge investment in real estate were seized besides 24 bank accounts maintained by him.

In Singh residence, incriminating documents indicating illegal payments to the customs officials have been recovered.

UNI PVN MJ AK BST1942