Principal Special Judge for CBI Cases, Visakhapatnam, C.N. Murthy, on Tuesday convicted former Inspector of Central Excise & Customs, Srikakulam Range, Srikakulam, K. Ramdas; former Superintendent of Customs & Central Excise, Visakhapatnam, P. Janakiram; and a few others, sentencing them to five years of simple imprisonment for cheating Excise and Customs Duty amounting to ₹32.28 crore. The court also imposed a total fine of ₹5.53 lakh.
According to officials, Sabbir Hazi Issak Noorani, a private individual, entered into a criminal conspiracy with P. Janakiram to cheat Excise and Customs duties. Janakiram, impersonating P. Kesava Rao, established a firm under the name M/s. Sri Balaji General Trading Company. He forged signatures in the name of the non-existent Kesava Rao to apply to VSEZ, Visakhapatnam, for a Trading License and Import-Export Code. He also applied to the Central Excise to declare the premises as a Warehousing Station under the Customs Act.
It was further established that Janakiram, along with Sabbir Noorani, procured duty-free materials from three firms in Maligaon and, by fraudulently clearing them as deemed exports to three firms in Mumbai against Advance Release Orders, violated EXIM Policy Guidelines. This was done in conspiracy with the accused public servants, including Ramdas. Together, they cheated Excise and Customs authorities of ₹32.28 crore.
After the completion of the trial, the court convicted the accused.
Published – September 16, 2025 10:10 pm IST
