Wintrack Inc, a logistics company based in Tamil Nadu, announced it would discontinue all import and export activities in India from October 1, 2025, citing what it described as sustained harassment by Chennai Customs.
The company released a statement on X declaring: “From October 1, 2025, our company will cease import/export activities in India. For the past 45 days, Chennai Customs officials have relentlessly harassed us. 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.”
The firm’s founder, Prawin Ganeshan, alleged that named officers from the Special Intelligence and Investigation Branch (SIIB) had demanded payments. He further claimed that his wife’s company was forced to pay more than Rs 2.1 lakh in bribes on a shipment worth USD 6,993, and alleged that officials even suggested a ten per cent “discount” during the exchange. In another post, he wrote: “In India, there’s no ease of business, only corruption at every level of governance.”
The company’s announcement prompted strong responses from political and business figures. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor described the matter as “truly dismaying,” adding: “Corruption remains rampant. Most companies simply comply as part of the ‘price of doing business.’ It doesn’t have to be this way.”
Mohandas Pai, chairman of Aarin Capital and former CFO of Infosys, also weighed in. Addressing Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Prime Minister Narendra Modi directly on X, he wrote: “You have failed to stamp out systemic corruption in our ports. Please act.”
Chennai Customs issued a rebuttal, disputing Ganeshan’s claims and setting out what it called “documented violations.”
The department said the matter related to Bill of Entry No. 3837029, filed on August 12, 2025. It stated that goods had been incorrectly declared under CTH 90191010 and later correctly reclassified under CTH 90191020, which the importer accepted on September 1, 2025. Upon physical inspection, eight boxes of USB charging cables were allegedly found undeclared in the Bill of Entry, commercial invoice, and packing list, constituting what Customs described as a breach of Section 111 of the Customs Act, 1962.
Officials also pointed out that the consignment contained rechargeable batteries, requiring Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) certification under the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022. Customs said this was not provided despite repeated requests on 29 August, at a personal hearing on 8 September, and again on 29 September. Instead, it alleged, the importer submitted incorrect paperwork, including an e-waste undertaking, while making “legally untenable” exemption claims on the grounds of MSME status, finished goods, and low battery capacity.
The department insisted it had followed procedure: “The importer was granted personal hearing on 08.09.2025 in full accordance with principles of natural justice. Bonding permission under Section 49 of Customs Act was granted on 11.09.2025 specifically to help the importer avoid demurrage charges during adjudication. Postponement was accommodated on 19.09.2025 when the importer requested additional time. At no stage was any payment or bribe demanded – all queries pertained strictly to mandatory statutory compliance.”
Customs further stated that while adjudication on this shipment was pending, a related entity owned by Ganeshan’s wife imported similar goods on September 12, 2025, with the same compliance gaps. According to officials, this indicated a “pattern of systematic evasion rather than an isolated error.”
The department alleged that during an official meeting on September 30, 2025, Ganeshan threatened senior officers with media exposure and even self-harm after being informed that adjudication would proceed as per law. Customs said this behaviour was formally recorded.
The rebuttal concluded that Ganeshan had a “pattern of making corruption allegations when facing scrutiny, and deleting posts after rebuttals were issued,” describing it as an attempt to pressure officials into releasing shipments without due process.
The dispute continued to spark discussion on social media. Commentator Abhijit Iyer Mitra, responding to the Customs rebuttal, wrote: “The problem is your service is so corrupt and rotten, that it’s easier to believe a Pakistani general than it is to believe Indian Customs – even if you’re telling the truth (once in a blue moon).”
Chennai Customs maintained that it would not be influenced by such allegations and reaffirmed its commitment to “lawful, transparent, and professional conduct while enforcing regulations designed to protect public health, consumer safety, and environmental standards.”
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