Importer Announces Exit From India Over Bribery Demands, Chennai Customs Denies Charge
An importer of electronic gadgets, Wintrack Inc., has announced it is shutting down all its import and export operations in India, citing “relentless harassment” and bribery demands from Chennai Customs officials. The dramatic move has ignited a firestorm on social media, drawing sharp criticism from political figures and industry leaders about systemic corruption, while the customs department has vehemently denied the allegations.In a statement posted on X, Wintrack Inc. declared it would cease all operations from October 1, claiming its business was crippled by retaliatory actions from customs officials.
“After exposing their bribery practices twice this year, they retaliated, effectively crippling our operations and destroying our business in India,” the company stated. The founder, Prawin Ganeshan, escalated the claims by publicly naming specific officials from the Special Intelligence and Investigation Branch (SIIB), alleging they forced his wife’s company to pay over Rs 2.1 lakh in bribes for a shipment and even offered a 10% “discount” during negotiations.Chennai Customs swiftly responded, refuting the accusations and describing the importer as having an “established pattern of false allegations.”
The department stated the current dispute centers on eight undeclared boxes of USB cables with built-in rechargeable batteries that require a mandatory certificate from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). According to customs, despite repeated queries, the importer failed to provide the necessary certificate and instead submitted incorrect documentation while making “legally untenable claims” for exemptions that do not exist under current rules.
While promising to look into the bribery allegations, the department maintained the importer failed to comply with regulations.The public spat has opened a Pandora’s box, with prominent voices weighing in. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor called the situation “truly dismaying,” adding that corruption “remains rampant across the system.”
Mohandas Pai, Chairman of Aarin Capital, tagged the Finance Minister and Prime Minister, stating, “You have failed to stamp out systemic corruption in our ports. Please act.” The controversy has also prompted numerous social media users to share their own harrowing experiences with customs officials, amplifying the call for systemic reform.
