Mumbai: Cargo worth Rs 1.18 cr vanishes, FIR against MbPT, customs officials

The police have asked Mumbai Port Trust officials who was responsible for handling the shipment. Representation pic

A Satara-based company, Ajay Industrial Corporation Ltd, has filed an FIR against officials of the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) and the customs department after raw material worth Rs 1.18 crore went missing.

According to the complaint, which was registered by the company's officials at the Yellow Gate police station on September 23, 100 metric tonnes of resin procured from Vietnam that landed in Mumbai was nowhere to be found. Strangely, MbPT officials had called the company, telling them the shipment had been located but when its officials went there, they couldn't tell them where it was.

No arrests have been made so far.

Ajay Industrial Corporation Ltd produces plastic pipes and fittings. In April 2022, the company imported 100 metric tonnes of resin. The material was sent in 100 jumbo bags and the shipment was brought to Mumbai on the ship Albi Happy. According to the Vietnam-based firm, the shipment reached MbPT on April 22. A shipment agency confirmed the arrival of goods on May 10.

"After the arrival of the shipment, we paid Rs 35.37 lakh in customs duty. After this, our customs house agent followed up with MbPT and the customs department for the landing/discharge certificate but there was no response nor we were unable to locate the shipment," an employee of the company said.

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"Finally with the help of surveyors and adjusters, the shipping company carried out a joint survey to locate the shipment but they stated that the cargo was no longer at the Mumbai port," the employee added.

The survey report wasn't accepted by MbPT officials and, on August 20, they called company officials, telling them that 96 bags of their shipment had been found at various locations and they should claim them as soon as possible. The company officials reached MbPT on August 23, and a search was carried out with the surveyor and custom house agent as well as MbPT officials but the shipment wasn't found.

"The MbPT officials initially said they couldn't locate the shipment, but in August they asked the company people to come over as they had found 96 bags. And when the officials from the firm reached MbPT, the bags couldn't be found. This is negligence. Also, the customs department took the duty from the company without showing them the consignment, which is a lapse," a police officer said.

Company officials eventually approached the Ballard Estate court which directed the police station to file an FIR. The Yellow Gate police station filed the case under Section 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code and wrote letters to the MbPT and customs department, asking who was responsible for handling the shipment.

"We have written letters to both offices seeking to fix responsibility," said Sarala Vasave, senior inspector of Yellow Gate police station.

When mid-day got in touch with Bharat Yadav, an official from Ajay Industrial Corporation Ltd, he replied, "We have taken the necessary steps according to law. It will be too early to comment on the issue as the matter is being investigated."

35,37,000
The amount in rupees paid in customs duty by the firm