The Congress on Thursday alleged that the Modi Government has given a “Diwali bonanza” to big smugglers caught with contraband by coming out with a notification that does away with initiating immediate criminal proceedings against the person concerned.
Party spokesman Shaktisinh Gohil said that a Government notification says that criminal proceedings should be started after departmental inquiry which should be completed within six months. He said, as per Section 135 of Customs Act there is provision of criminal proceedings and departmental action as soon as a person is caught smuggling huge amount of contraband.
“But recently, the Modi Government through a circular 27/2015 Customs dated 23/10/2015 made a provision of no immediate criminal case against smuggling of precious metals like gold, items prohibited under section 11 and 123 and foreign currency whose value is more than Rs 20 lakh,” he said.
Gohil’s charge came on a day when the Prime Minister launched three ambitious schemes to reduce the physical demand for gold and fish out 20,000 tonnes of the precious metal worth USD 800 billion lying idle with households.
Claiming that the circular was against Customs Act and would bankrupt economy, he said, the move was like ushering in achchhe din for smugglers. He said the erstwhile UPA Government had made smuggling a non-bailable offence for action against the smugglers while the BJP dispensation was giving an “open field” to them.