Jalandhar, January 5, 2020 (Yes Punjab News)
More than eight years after the initiating proceedings against Gautam Kapoor, a prominent exporter and owner of Radisson Hotel, Jalandhar, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has cleared him of all charges of alleged misuse of Government scheme for import of cars by hotels at concessional duty.
Welcoming the orders, Kapoor said the allegations had quite apparently been motivated by business rivalry or political affiliations. Justice had, however, finally prevailed, he added. It has been found that the cars had been imported and used as per the provisions of
Government Policy, with the hotel complying with all the conditions, said a spokesperson of Radisson Jalandhar, adding that after the Common Adjudicating Authority dropped the DRI proceedings, they had received the necessary redemption letters from various authorities.
With this, all the cases against Kapoor had been dropped.
According to the spokesperson, after the DRI proceedings were dropped by the Common Adjudicating Authority, they had applied to DGFT office for issue of Redemption letters on the ground that they had fulfilled 100% Export Obligation imposed, and had also complied with other conditions of the Duty Free License for import of the cars. These Redemption letters were then submitted to Customs of different ports, through which those cars were imported.
Subsequently, the Commissioners of Customs of these ports issued the Redemption letters, the last of which was received from Commissioner Nhava Sheva Port, for import of Audi car, in December 2019.
Earlier, following the complaint, the DRI had seized the said five vehicles, which included two BMWs and one Rolls Royce. It was alleged that the vehicles were purchased for business purposes, and waiver of customs duty was availed on this ground, but the cars were being operated for personal use. The allegations had surfaced at a time when Kapoor was an aspirant for Congress Assembly ticket from Jalandhar.
