Sonaram Bagadaram Mali Vs Commissioner of Custom & Ors. (Delhi High Court)
Delhi HC Refuses to Interfere with Customs Order on Provisional Release of Tempered Glass Labeled ‘Made in China’
The Delhi High Court has declined to intervene in a Customs Department seizure of a large quantity of mobile tempered glass, upholding the department’s conditions for provisional release. The case involves Sonaram Bagadaram Mali, who challenged a communication from the Customs Department regarding the seizure of 4,99,020 units of mobile tempered glass on February 20, 2025.
The goods, valued by the Customs Department at over ₹56 lakh, were seized from a premises in Karol Bagh that was being operated as a girls’ paying guest accommodation. The seizure was made on the suspicion that the items were illegally imported from China, as they were all marked with “Made in China” labels. The petitioner claimed the goods were locally manufactured and purchased from local suppliers, asserting that the foreign labels were affixed to secure a better price in the market. He also stated he had no import documents or relationships with customs brokers.
The Customs Department permitted the provisional release of the goods but stipulated that the petitioner must submit a bond equivalent to the assessable value (₹56,03,995) and a bank guarantee of ₹29,75,189. The petitioner argued that he was unable to meet these financial conditions.
