'Moved Business To Bangalore Instead Of Fighting': Bizman Claims To Have Paid ₹47,000 Bribe To Chennai Customs Amid Wintrack's Allegations

Chennai: After the owner of Wintrack Inc levelled "corruption" allegations against Chennai Customs, many people came forward and alleged harassment by customs officials. A similar claim was made by a social media user named Venkatesh Alla, who alleged that a businessman paid a bribe to a Chennai Customs official.

Alla shared screenshots of Rs 47,000 payment made by the businessman to a man, named Gunalan Venkatesam. A screenshot was sent to Alla by a person, named Udhaya Sambath.

Talking about his businessman friend, Sambath alleged that his friend, who runs a business in Tamil Nadu, paid Rs 47,000 in bribe to Chennai Customs to release his consignment. Sambhath further claimed that after paying the bribe, his friend moved to Bangalore as hen did not want his business to get affected.

Meanwhile, another person messaged Alla and shared his story of how a customs official demanded bribe from him as he was carrying an expensive laptop with him. The man, named Ram, claimed that one his friends also faced similar harassment by officials at an airport. He further nararted the incident of an American, who was forced to pay a bribe by customs officials as she was wearing jewellery.

Notably, Alla, in his social media post, asked people who faced bribery or corruption in Customs. "Attention Impex businesses in India/any one, if you’ve faced bribery or corruption in Customs, bring it out here on X. Share snapshots of chats, communications, or payment proofs(if any). If you fear posting from your own handle, DM me, I’ll expose them. Enough hiding, it’s time to call them out," Alla had written on his X handle.

Earlier on Thursday, the Finance Ministry asked the Department of Revenue (DoR) to undertake a fair, transparent, and fact-based inquiry following allegations made by Wintrack Inc (Chennai). The ministry said that the matter is being dealt "with utmost seriousness".

The Finance Ministry said in a post on X that the Government is committed to taking appropriate and expeditious action in accordance with the law and is committed to enhancing ease of doing business.

Wintrack Inc had said on Wednesday that it will "cease import/export activities in India" from October 1, alleging that "Chennai Customs officials have relentlessly harassed us for the past 45 days".

In its post, Wintrack Inc alleged that Chennai Customs retaliated after "their bribery practices" were exposed twice this year.

"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," Wintrack Inc said in a post on X.

In another post by Wintrack Inc on Thursday, its founder, Prawin Ganeshan posted a video describing the "sequence of events leading to our closure". He urged people to join together to "abolish corrupt hands" on Gandhi Jayanti.

"I will stay alive,i will survive,never give up On this Gandhi Jayanthi, Lets all join together to reduce,abolish corrupt hands I have lost my health, got stress, still little left," the post said.

Published on: Friday, October 03, 2025, 12:31 PM IST