Former excise inspector, aid sentenced to 5 years in Rs 32 crore fraud

Visakhapatnam, Sep 17 (PTI) A CBI court in Visakhapatnam has sentenced a former Central Excise and Customs inspector and a private person to five years' imprisonment in connection with a Rs 32.28 crore fraud case, the CBI said on Wednesday.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered the case in August 2005 and later filed a charge sheet in August 2008, accusing P Janakiram of procuring duty-free materials by impersonation and clearing them as deemed exports against Advance Release Orders in violation of Export-Import (EXIM) policy, with the conspiracy of the public servant Kalaka Ramdas and others.

The court on Tuesday convicted the then Inspector, Central Excise and Customs, Srikakulam district Range, Ramdas and Janakiram of Vandragi village in Srikakulam district, along with a private company, Sri Balaji General Trading Company, represented by Janakiram. They were fined over Rs 1 lakh, Rs 2.5 lakh and over Rs 2 lakh respectively, amounting to a total penalty of nearly Rs 5.5 lakhs.

"Customs inspector Ramdas and a private person have been sentenced to five years in jail in a Rs 32.28 crore fraud case," an official press release said.

It was alleged that Janakiram impersonated a non-existent person, Palla Kesava Rao, to establish Sri Balaji General Trading Company and obtain a trading licence, Import Export Code, and warehousing permission from authorities, said CBI.

The agency observed that the fraudulent operations caused a loss of Rs 32.28 crore in excise and customs duties. After trial, the court convicted and sentenced the accused on September 16, 2025.

Following the pronouncement of judgment, Ramdas and Janakiram were sent to Central Prison in Visakhapatnam, the release added. PTI MS SA