- I Paid A Bribe
- 14 years ago
- 704 views
The Day I was fleeced by the Customs at Mumbai International Airport
- Customs, Excise and Service Tax
- Customs Check and Clearance
- Paid INR 6,000
I was studying in Dubai, and in the month of Feb 2007 I was returning home for a brief vacation and thought of bringing home a LCD TV. Before purchasing I calculated how much customs I would have to pay etc and how much would it cost if I bought in India and so finally my dad gave a go ahead to bring one from Dubai.
I got all the necessary Customs details from the customs website and was well prepared what to pay at the airport. I was travelling from Sharjah to Mumbai on an Airarabia flight. In Mumbai After collecting my baggage i was telling good bye to one of my friend who was to go through the green channel. A customs official comes to me and rudely demands I go to the Red channel immediately, which I was any how going to. At the counter an official who i am sure is a high ranked officer since he has a good number of stripes on his shoulder batch. He says "Sony TV, nice You must have paid at least 2 Lac for it."I replied calmly saying its only 45,000 showing him the Original receipt of the TV. Then about 4 officials come around me asking the specs of tele.
The Officer who met me demands INR.18,000 for the the customs duty. I asked him how did he calculate to which he replies it standard. On asking him to show the rule book or tariff sheet, he replied its standard and i don't pay the tv would be confiscated. I argued saying the allowance of carrying electronics to India is one free laptop & Mobile and electronics upto INR.25,000/-. Since I have TV worth INR.45,000/- I would be paying 13% rounded on additional 20,000 which comes to app. 2,600. (Even if i have to pay 13% on whole 45,000 which is not the case, it would come to INR.5850/-.)
Then after a loooot of argument he says... " aap bhi ********** raho, hamein bhi ********** karo.. aap tv le jaaoge hamein kya milega.. aap 8,000 pay karo receipt nahin milega araam se ghar jaao..."(you also be happy and make us also happy... u bought a tv you are happy what will we get.. pay 8,000 with out receipt and take your tv home.. if you want with receipt pay 18,000). It was insane no win situation for me. Going home after a long time with my parents waiting for me outside and unfortunately no local phone to contact them and only 7,000 in my pocket that too in dirhams I had no option but to pay them. I told i had no 8,000. He asked how much i got I told I had only 500 AED with me. He said thats ok pay it and take no with out any problems. Then he also asked if you pay later on your father shouldnt come to us asking for receipt. I nodded along.
NOW COMES THE BEST PART....THE ADVANCE COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS BETWEEN THE CORRUPT
He told me to go into a pantry room behind the officials room... I was scared to go in and put the custody of my luggage with the officials since i was apprehensive that they might plant some stuff in them... but putting my eyes on my luggage i went in where two constables were waiting... he told me 5000.... i said no rupees i only have dirhams.... then he took 500 AED from me and asked for more i said thats it... then i went back took my luggage and was leaving the airport... then at the exit while handing over the customs duty slip the constable looked at me and said my NAME and told " LCD aanlas kaay" I said yes and left the airport with disgust and anger.
At Home I was chided by my dad, mom, friends, relatives for paying up illegally but in defense I was 18 ... first time going through customs and was surrounded by 4-5 customs officials and no one around to help. In short i was fleeced by the **********Customs Department of Mumbai International Airport. They are nothing but BANDITS IN UNIFORM LIVING LEGALLY ON TAX PAYERS *******