Amid growing allegations of corruption and harassment against Chennai Customs, several personal stories of citizens facing heavy-handed treatment by officials have gone viral on social media. Among the latest is an X user, who claimed that her white fur jacket, bought in Australia in 2017 and couriered back to India in 2023, was destroyed by customs officials for not paying Rs 7,000. Another user shared how essential medical glasses were treated as luxury items, while a Californian man recalled an incident involving his computer monitor when he relocated to India.

These personal accounts come amid bribery and harassment allegations by Tamil Nadu entrepreneur Prawin Ganeshan, founder of Wintrack Inc, against Chennai Customs, a controversy that has captured nationwide attention and sparked heated debates online.

ALSO READ

Chennai Customs row intensifies amid personal ordeals

On October 4, a social media user, Aarthi Ayengar, claimed that a white fur jacket she had purchased in Australia, worth less than AU $200 (around INR 10,000), was destroyed by customs officials. According to Aarthi, she had left the jacket with a friend in Australia, and it was couriered back to her in 2023. “I got a call from @cbic_india saying I would need to pay 7k INR for them to release the shipment. I explained how it’s a 6-year-old used jacket, already paid for, not a gift, it’s a personal belonging. I even shared my receipts as proof. They said if I didn’t pay, they would burn my jacket. And they did,” she tweeted.

The recent official customs duty for worn or used clothing (HS Code 6309) in India is around 10% basic customs duty. Used clothes classified under “worn clothing and other worn articles” typically attract a lower duty compared to new garments, according to Cybex.

Her tweet came as a response to CBIC’s earlier statement that the bribery claims pertain to “misdeclaration and misclassification by the importer.” In an X post they wrote, “Chennai Customs has already responded on this aspect. Subsequently, the importer has shared certain names and screenshots on Twitter. The matter has been noted, and all facts will be duly examined. Necessary action, as warranted under the law, will be taken.”

ALSO READ

Several Reddit users and others shared similar personal experiences of alleged harassment by customs officials. Some added how routine customs clearance has become a hurdle. A social media user tagged PM Modi, writing, “@narendramodi ji, we are losing time, and it seems that something as basic as clearing customs is still a hurdle for us in becoming a Viksit Bharat by 2027.”

‘Customs charged 5000 for essential…’

Another X user shared a personal ordeal from 2018, when, due to a medical condition called mild sarcoidosis, he needed NoIR medical glasses from the US, costing ₹18,000. The purpose of glasses was to block nearly 98% of infrared rays and 100% UV to protect his eyes. Customs charged him Rs 5,000 despite explaining that these were essential medical glasses, not luxury sunglasses. “I had no choice but to pay,” he wrote, adding how ordinary citizens feel squeezed by the system.

California man recalls customs ordeal

Jacob Singh, a man from Oakland, California, shared his experience during his relocation to India. “When I moved to India, I was allowed one computer for personal use, so I shipped my monitor. I showed them the doc: one personal computer (inc monitor) allowed. They agreed but because I had no PC with it, I had to pay 100% of value in duty or bribe. Paid it. Monitor was broken,” Singh alleged. He has been living in New Delhi for the past few years.

One commented, “When was this if you would like to share? Must have been a good monitor.” Singh replied, “2012. No, not really. But India also charged crazy duty on electronics so a replacement would have cost a lot.”

Another user recalled, “My first return from the US 2003: bought a few things, got all bills, still, I was stopped at Mumbai customs. The officer took my passport and I started worrying about missing the connecting flight. When he could not extract money, he emptied my bag on a table just to humiliate me.” A third wrote, “For some reason it feels like corruption is ingrained within us.”

Bribery allegations shake Chennai Customs

The controversy began earlier this week after Tamil Nadu entrepreneur Prawin Ganeshan raised allegations of bribery against Chennai Customs. Ganeshan, founder of Wintrack Inc, claimed that officials demanded hefty bribes to release shipments of wellness products imported by his company.

In an official post, Wintrack Inc stated, “For the past 45 days, Chennai Customs officials have relentlessly harassed us. After exposing their bribery practices twice this year, they retaliated, effectively crippling our operations and destroying our business in India.”

Prawin further detailed incidents in a video on Wintrack’s social media, saying that bribe demands began as early as January, with requests of Rs 8 lakh, and continued in May with another Rs 5 lakh demand, which the company partially paid. Ganeshan claimed he recorded calls with the agents to prove his case.

The allegations caused Wintrack Inc to announce a halt to all import-export activities in India. In their statement, they emphasised, “Despite our best efforts, the sustained pressure had made it impossible to continue operations. We do not solely depend on Indian business for our revenue and growth.”

Chennai Customs dismissed the allegations as “false, calculated, and a deliberate tactic to pressure officials.” Ganeshan, however, rejected this, accusing the department of “cooking up stories to save itself.”