June 21: The transport entrepreneurs of Birgunj announced to shut their business on Tuesday. The businessmen took such a drastic step against the police highhandedness in the name of investigation.

Transport entrepreneur Balkrishna Pokharel said they had previously brought the matter to the attention of the local administration but were forced to close the business after there was no hearing.

The businessman complained that the police have been impounding vehicles that have undergone all the due customs procedures and handing them over to the Revenue Investigation Department in the name of investigation.

The vehicles seized by the police in in a tip-off get stopped for at least 15 days by the office for revenue investigation.

“If nothing is found, should the police check the credibility of their information or not? Pokharel questioned, adding, "It does not mean that there should not be an investigation into revenue leakage. However, investigations are done to cause unnecessary hassles for the businessmen.”

Anil Kumar Agarwal, President of Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said in a program organized in Birgunj on Monday that the vehicle that passed the customs clearance is seized from the road. 

The stakeholders have been expressing displeasure saying that it is discouraging legitimate business in the name of investigation. The businessmen claim that the transporters have suffered losses when the goods with the Value Added Tax (VAT) bill get seized and kept for 15 days in the name of investigation.

"The importers are not ready to keep their goods in detention when their documents and procedures are all correct. We have to suffer a loss at the rate of Rs 3,000 per day," said Pokhrel.

Earlier, the businessman had submitted a memorandum to the chief district officer of Parsa and demanded to address their demand within 4 days. After the deadline of 4 days expired on Monday, the businessman decided to hand over their keys to the CDO.