Finance ministry orders probe into Wintrack's harassment, corruption allegations against Chennai Customs
The finance ministry said that a senior officer from the Department of Revenue will conduct a detailed factual enquiry into the allegations.
Following the corruption and harassment charges levelled against Chennai Customs by Wintrack Inc., the Finance Ministry on Thursday said that the Revenue Department will conduct a detailed factual enquiry into the matter.
On October 1, Wintrack Inc., an import company, announced that it was shutting down its business, alleging bribe demands and harassment by Chennai Customs officials.
The Chennai-based company's founder, Ganeshan, on Thursday explained the sequence of events, right from January 2025 to the point of his decision to shut down the business, in a video posted on X. He alleged that Chennai customs held back his shipments and released them only after their bribe demand was met.
The finance ministry took to X and said the government has taken cognisance of the matter, adding that it has asked the Department of Revenue to undertake a fair, transparent, and fact-based inquiry into the present issue.
"A senior officer from DoR has been deputed to conduct a detailed factual enquiry, hearing the parties concerned, officials, and thoroughly examining all relevant documentary evidence," the ministry said.
The ministry added that the matter is being dealt with utmost seriousness, and that the government is committed to taking appropriate and expeditious action in accordance with the law.
"In recent years, the Government has implemented a series of taxpayer-friendly initiatives such as the adoption of the Taxpayer Charter, the introduction of faceless customs procedures, and the establishment of appellate bodies for dispute resolution — with the objective of enhancing transparency and promoting ease of doing business," it said.
Chennai Customs denies allegations
The Chennai Customs dismissed the "serious and false allegations" levelled by Wintrack, Inc.
It said that the company "has an established pattern of making unsubstantiated allegations of corruption and bribery on this platform, only to delete such posts once factual rebuttals are provided by this department".
The Chennai Customs represented what it called "documented facts" and said that Wintrack's goods were found to be misclassified during examination, a mistake which it said was accepted by the import company.
"Physical examination revealed eight boxes containing USB charging cables that were completely undeclared in the Bill of Entry, commercial invoice, and packing list - a clear violation of Section 111 of the Customs Act, 1962," the Chennai Customs added.
It further said that imported goods also contained built-in rechargeable batteries, adding that no EPR certification was provided for it despite repeated queries.
"Instead, the importer submitted wrong documentation (E-waste undertaking) and made legally untenable claims of MSME exemption, finished product exemption, and low battery capacity exemption - none of which exist under the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022," it said.
The Chennai Customs said that allegations of harassment and non-cooperation are "demonstrably false". It also clarified that any kind of payment or bribe was not demanded at any point in time.
"Furthermore, during pendency of adjudication proceedings on this Bill of Entry, the same importer filed identical goods through a related entity (wife's company) on 12.09.2025 with the same compliance gaps, demonstrating systematic evasion rather than inadvertent error. During an official meeting on 30.09.2025, the importer attempted to intimidate senior officers through threats of media exposure and self-harm when informed that due process must be followed. This conduct has been formally documented and reported," the X post read.
The Chennai Customs said that the import company's social media posts reveal a "calculated pattern: allegations of corruption when facing legitimate scrutiny, followed deletion of his thread when facts of violation by importer are placed on record".
It said that Wintrack's "selective narrative" was a deliberate tactic to pressure officials into releasing shipments without due process.
"We categorically state that every action taken was legally mandated, procedurally proper, and based on documented violations discovered during examination," Chennai Customs X post read.
"Chennai Customs will not be deterred by false allegations from performing its statutory duties. We remain committed to lawful, transparent, and professional conduct while enforcing regulations designed to protect public health, consumer safety, and environmental standards," it added.
Additionally, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) also took to X and clarified that the matter pertains to misdeclaration and misclassification by the importer.
"All facts will be duly examined. Necessary action, as warranted under the law, will be taken," the CBIC said.
