Question : Coal Imports

(a) whether the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has issued a nationwide alert to custom houses to scrutinise the coal imports for overvaluation and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the DRI has issued such an alert in the wake of the facts that came to its knowledge that the coal imports from Indonesia are routed through intermediary front organisation of importers stationed in Dubai, Singapore and Hong Kong etc. who inflated the value of the imported coal for the end users; and

(c) if so, the details thereof and the action taken thereon?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE (SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR GANGWAR)

(a) A modus operandi circular was issued in March, 2016 by Directorate General of Revenue Intelligence (DGRI) on overvaluation of coal imports.

(b) Yes.

(c) DGRI has already taken action against such firms which had inflated the value of coal imports from Indonesia by routing the same through intermediary firms stationed in different countries like Singapore, Hong Kong, etc.