Customs seeks technical support from EDB in tax evasion case against Paramount Corporation

KARACHI: The customs authorities have referred the case of importer Paramount Corporation to the Engineering Development Board (EDB) for seeking technical view point into the case.
The sources informed Customs Today that the authorities concerned of Customs Adjudication-II have forwarded the case of Paramount Corporation to the EDB for seeking its reference into the said matter before giving any verdict in this regard.
It is pertinent to mention here that the R&D Section of MCC-Appraisement (East) was constituted a tax evasion case in October-2014 against the importer Paramount Corporation in its alleged involvement in evading taxes worth Rs10 million in the violation of description, quantity and classification in importation of motorcycle spare parts.
Subsequently, the case was forwarded to the Collectorate of Customs Adjudication-II in the month of November-2014.
The sources informed this scribe that the Collectorate of Customs Adjudication-II has already conducted the three hearings into the case. However; the authorities did not summon the departmental representative (DR) from Appraisement side in any of those hearings.
Later on, the newly appointed Collector of the Collectorate of Customs Adjudication-II Dr Saifuddin Junejo in the recent hearing summoned the departmental representative of Appraisement and in the presence of both sides’ departmental representatives, it was decided that the case should be forwarded to the EDB for seeking its view point on technical grounds into the case.
It is pertinent to mention here that the adjudicating authorities have sent show-cause notice to the importer Paramount Corporation Limited on 11-Nov-2014 in which it asked the importer Paramount Corporation to present its view point on 19-Nov-2014.