CBI raid on Customs & Central Excise, 13 places searched

In a major crackdown on unscrupulous staffers from the Customs and Central Excise, the Mumbai division of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday raided 13 premises of officers from the department. The swoop comes in the backdrop of three cases of alleged bribery registered by the agency.

According to CBI sources, three complaints have been registered against 13 Customs and Central Excise department officers, including Commissioner Shobha Ram and Additional Commissioner BS Meena, and ISPAT India Ltd company.

The sources claimed that the alleged involvement of the Customs officials came to light following a raid by the Income Tax department at the residence of the company secretary of ISPAT India in 2011.

"Few handwritten notes containing details of bribes paid to various people from different government departments were found at the residence. We have registered the cases against the officers who had taken bribe and favoured the company," said a CBI source.

The premises searched by the CBI during Friday's raids include offices of Meena and Shobha Ram and homes of other officers involved, sources said.