Pharma firm loses Rs.2cr to custom house agent A Mumbai-based custom house agent (CHA) was booked by the city crime branch for allegedly cheating a pharma company having its manufacturing unit in Sachin GIDC of Rs 1.54 crore by making fake bills.

The company had transferred Rs 1.91 crore to the accused Kiran Bhanushali to pay customs duty for their imported goods. However, Bhanushali paid only Rs 37 lakh and kept the remaining money with him.

The company got to know about the cheating when the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) raised a query about the less custom duty paid.

The pharma firm Globela's store manager Bharat Vairagi lodged a complaint stating that the company imports active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) for making drugs from China.

Once the goods reach Mumbai's Nhava Sheva port, the company's CHA Bhanushali used to clear them from customs by paying the duty. The company used to transfer the duty amount as per the bill of entries to Bhanusali.

However, in four different cases, Bhanusali made fake bills and paid just Rs 37 lakhs duty.