Importer Announces Exit From India Over Bribery Demands, Chennai Customs Officials Deny Charge

Last Updated:October 02, 2025, 12:46 IST

The controversy centres around eight undeclared boxes of USB cables built-in rechargeable batteries, which require a certificate from the Central Pollution Control Board

Chennai Customs has denied all allegations. (Customs Website)

Wintrack Inc, an importer of niche electronic gadgets, healthcare and lifestyle products, has announced closure of all import and export operations from October 1 in view of “relentless harassment” by Chennai Customs, the government authority that clears imports into India.

In a statement on X, the company said: “After exposing their bribery practices twice this year, they retaliated, effectively crippling our operations and destroying our business in India. We deeply thank everyone who has supported us during these difficult times.”

Responding to the allegation, Chennai Customs said the importer had an established pattern of false allegations and corruption charges.

The controversy centres around eight undeclared boxes of USB cables built-in rechargeable batteries, which require a certificate from the Central Pollution Control Board.

“Despite repeated queries on 29.08.2025, during personal hearing on 08.09.2025, and again on 29.09.2025, no EPR certificate was provided. 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,” the central authority said in the tweet.

The controversy snowballed as Prawin Ganeshan, founder of Wintrack Inc, also levelled allegations of bribery, naming specific officials from the Special Intelligence and Investigation Branch (SIIB) and claiming his wife’s company was forced to pay over Rs 2.1 lakh in bribes for a shipment worth $6,993. He alleged officers even offered a 10 per cent “discount” during negotiations.

The customs department said it would look into the allegations.

The war of words between the firm and the customs department also opened a Pandora’s box on social media, with Congress MP Shashi Tharoor calling it “truly dismaying”.

Some users on social media also documented their stories of interactions with the customs department, with a user describing his journey of getting an author-signed book from abroad.

Chairman of Aarin Capital and former CFO of Infosys Mohandas Pai tagged Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the thread, saying: “You have failed to stamp out systemic corruption in our ports Please act.”

About the Author

Poornima Murali

Poornima Murali, Senior Special Correspondent at CNN-News18, has reported for over a decade on civic and political issues in Tamil Nadu. She has been helming the Chennai bureau for the channel for years now. A …Read More

Poornima Murali, Senior Special Correspondent at CNN-News18, has reported for over a decade on civic and political issues in Tamil Nadu. She has been helming the Chennai bureau for the channel for years now. A … Read More

Read More

Go to Source