The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has initiated legal action against three Customs officials, including a retired Superintendent and two serving Inspectors, over an alleged bribery case in Mizoram. The FIR was lodged on February 3 following a complaint from an Additional Commissioner, CGST, Guwahati, accusing the individuals of misusing their positions and accepting illicit payments to release smuggled goods. The accused, Tuanzakhup, Mohan Singh, and Sahil Kumar Sinha, formerly stationed at Customs Preventive Force (CPF) in Champhai, Mizoram, are under scrutiny for their involvement.
The Customs officials are suspected of unlawfully detaining items like areca nuts and cigarettes without proper documentation during their tenure from 2022 to 2023. They allegedly extorted bribes from concerned parties to facilitate the release of the confiscated goods, amounting to over Rs 35 lakh. Additionally, discrepancies amounting to more than Rs 1.42 crore were identified in the stock of seized goods at various warehouses between December 23, 2022, and April 26, 2023. The CBI is currently conducting searches at the residences of the accused individuals in Itanagar, Guwahati, Sikar, Patna, and Churachandpur.
Several arrests have been made previously in Mizoram concerning illegal activities related to smuggling and aiding drug traffickers. Notably, the state shares extensive borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh, known for illicit cross-border activities. Myanmar’s Chin state serves as a significant conduit for smuggling various contraband items through multiple districts in Mizoram, including Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, Saitual, and Serchhip.
