The Court of Appeal has allowed the Director General of Customs to conduct a fresh investigation regarding the importation of 1728 BMW type vehicles under the duty relief permits issued to government officials.
It is about a fraud related to duty relief licenses issued from 2011 to 2014.
The court has made this order after dismissing a writ petition filed by a private company called Prestige Automobile challenging the investigation.
The Director of Customs had initiated an investigation against the petitioner company, alleging that there had been tax fraud by showing low values while importing the said cars.
Since the petitioner company has committed a fault, the customs department has decided to end the investigation by imposing a fine of one lakh rupees per car.
But at the time of the hearing of a petition presented by the company concerned, Additional Solicitor General Sumathi Dharmawardena, who appeared for the Director General of Customs, stated before the court that the German Customs had submitted a report to the Sri Lankan Customs that there had been a financial irregularity in this car transaction.
Accordingly, as new evidence and facts have been presented, the Court of Appeal ordered to start a new investigation.
Judge Shashi Mahendran had given this decision with the concurrence of the President of the Court of Appeal, Judge Nishanka Bandula Karunaratne.
