Mumbai: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has indicated involvement of diplomats in the car import racket in which high-end vehicles were imported duty-free under privileges enjoyed by diplomats. The vehicles were sold in the local market by the syndicate. A clerk working on contractual basis in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is under scanner.
On Thursday, DRI arrested Rajeev Sood in Delhi, an agent for diplomats of various embassies, who assisted in selling cars they imported through diplomatic channels. It’s the fourth arrest in the case.
In 2017, the kingpin Abdul Rahman, offered Sood a proposal as he had sources in various embassies. “The mastermind used to ask him [Sood] details of any foreign diplomat for duty-free import. He then visited foreign embassies and met there with diplomats and asked if they were interested in any type of business,” the remand application filed by DRI says.
It adds: “If diplomats agreed, he would share their contact details with the mastermind who, with the diplomat, negotiated terms and conditions of their arrangement.” Sood, through his contact Manjeet Maurya in the MEA office, obtained eligibility of import made by diplomats. “He then gave details of diplomats to the mastermind for business, and gave details of the mastermind to the diplomats for the import.” — S Ahmed Ali
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Three people including the CEO of the luxury car dealership named Big Boys Toyz were arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, the agency said.
DRI had last week busted arrested three persons and seized six high-end cars each worth more than Rs 1 crore. The gang used diplomatic privileges and imported these cars and evaded huge amounts of duty.