2 in jail for false import declarations of goods
They tried to avoid paying tax duties of more than Tk8 crore each, bringing in cigarettes declared as roti-makers
A Chattogram court has sent two importers to jail in separate cases filed against them on allegations of importing goods on false declaration, and evading import duties.
Judge Begum Jebun Nessa of Chattogram Metropolitan Session Judge Court on Sunday gave the order after rejecting their bail plea in cases filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission.
The accused are Rashedul Islam, owner of SKS Enterprise in Pabna, and Golam Mostafa, owner of Mimi Leader Cottage in Dhaka.
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The two importers surrendered to the court and placed bail petitions in their cases.
After hearing their petitions, the court ordered law enforcement to send them to jail.
Importer Rashedul Islam imported cigarettes on false declaration of importing roti-making machines. In March this year, customs officials seized the shipment of cigarettes arriving at Chattogram Port. He tried to avoid paying duties of more than Tk8.15 crore by importing cigarettes on false declaration.
The other accused, Golam Mustafa, also imported cigarettes instead of roti-making machines, trying to evade duties of Tk8.18 crore on false declaration.
In March, the ACC filed two cases against the two importers and some employees of Chattogram Customs.
"We opposed their bail petitions as the accused did not surrender within the stipulated time set by the High Court and the two were charged with serious offences," ACC's Public Prosecutor, said Advocate Mahmudul Haque.
