Daijiworld Media Network - Chennai
Chennai, Oct 4: Tamil Nadu-based logistics firm Wintrack Inc has announced that it is halting its import-export business in India from October 1, alleging sustained harassment and bribery demands from Chennai Customs officials over the past 45 days.
The company, in a post on X, claimed its operations had been “crippled and destroyed” after exposing alleged bribery attempts earlier this year. Wintrack’s founder, Prawin Ganeshan, alleged that officials from the Special Intelligence and Investigation Branch (SIIB) forced his wife’s firm to pay more than Rs 2.1 lac in bribes for a shipment worth USD 6,993. He further alleged that officers even offered a “10 per cent discount” during negotiations.
The announcement triggered strong reactions online. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor described the allegations as “truly dismaying,” adding that corruption remained rampant and that most firms simply complied as part of the “price of doing business.” Mohandas Pai, chairman of Aarin Capital and former Infosys CFO, also weighed in, tagging finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and prime minister Narendra Modi while stating that systemic corruption at ports remained unchecked.
Customs rebuts allegations
Chennai Customs, however, rejected the charges, saying Wintrack was penalised for compliance violations. In a detailed statement on X, the department said the firm was booked for misclassification of goods, non-declaration of USB charging cables, and failure to provide Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) certification under the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022.
Officials said hearings were conducted, delays accommodated, and bonding permissions granted to reduce demurrage, but no bribes were demanded. The department further alleged that the importer routinely levelled false accusations of corruption whenever violations were found, only to delete such claims after rebuttals.