More penal power for Customs dept

Proposed amendments in Section 104 of the said Act would allow arrest of any person fraudulently obtaining duty credit scrips for more than Rs 5 million

In her Budget speech, the finance minister talked of enhanced penalty and prosecution under the Customs laws to deal with bogus entities resorting to unfair practices for availing of undue concessions and export incentives. She said misuse of duty credit scrips and the drawback facility involving more than Rs 5 million would be a cognizable and non-bailable offence.
 
The problem of fake entities or unscrupulous elements obtaining duty credit scrips through wilful mis-statement, suppression of facts or collusion, selling these to unwary importers, who then utilise the scrips, was recognised long before. They escape punishment on the ground that