Title - Excise raids to continue

Ludhiana:
Tightening its noose around tax evaders, the Excise and Taxation Department seized goods worth Rs 16 lakh from the Railway Station during the recently conducted raids. In about 400 parcels, which were in the possession of officials, the goods without bills included readymade garments and electrical gadgets. The officials said these parcels belonged to different persons, some of whom were still reluctant to stake claim on their goods, which were without bills.Jaskaran Brar from the Mobile Wing of the Excise and Taxation Department told The Tribune that the parcels were worth Rs 16 lakh.“A sum of Rs 4.5 lakh had been deposited by a few claimants, while many others were still reluctant to stake claim to their goods. We are hopeful that others will come to reclaim their goods by Monday and deposit the penalty,” said Brar.When asked how much penalty will be imposed on tax evaders, Brar said the defaulters would have to pay 50 per cent of the cost of the goods as penalty to the department if they want their goods to be released.

One of the Excise and Taxation officials with the department said the raids should be conducted on a regular basis at the Railway Station to curb the nefarious activities of “peti mafia”.

“The department is losing revenue worth several crores of rupees due to the ‘peti mafia’. Most of the goods are brought to the industrial hub in an illegal manner by the tax evaders. The department, however, cannot do anything to curb the menace due to political pressure and connivance of certain officials,” said the ETO.

Meanwhile, District Excise and Taxation Officer Rishipal Singh said raids would be conducted in a routine to check the menace. “We will not let the 'peti mafia' continue with their illegal activities,” he said.