A legend who charmed everyone with his wit
OCTOBER 12, 2020
By B V Kumar
MR. Moheb Ali who retired on 11.12.2005 as Member (Tech) in the Hon'ble CESTAT, Mumbai, expired after a brief illness on Thursday 8th October, 2020 at Hyderabad.
He was 76 years old and was in excellent health. He joined the Indian Revenue Service, in 1968 and after working in various capacities in the Department he was posted as Addl. DG., DRI in Mumbai from August 1988 to Mid-1992 and was responsible for detecting a number of major cases during his tenure.
To mention a few, on 15th August 1989, Independence Day, the DRI Bombay made a series of contraband gold seizures in Mumbai at 3 different locations totalling 33,000 tolas valued at rupees 12 crores (present-day value would be Rs. 140 crores). On 10th August, 1990 at Santacruz, Mumbai contraband gold bars weighing 12,000 tolas and valued at Rs 4.31 crore (Present day's value would be Rs. 90 crore) was seized under his leadership. On 3rd April 1991, 34,860 tolas of gold valued at Rs 14.27 crore (Present day's value would be Rs. 150 crore) was seized. In February, 1991 with the assistance of the Coast Guard under his leadership a seizure of 5,250 kilograms of silver was seized off Karwar Coast, valued Rs 4.22 crore (Present day value would be Rs 26 crore). During his time, besides contraband goods a number commercial fraud cases were also booked. He was also responsible for detaining a number of top smugglers involved in serious crime.
After a brief stint as Commissioner of Customs in Nhava Sheva, he was posted as Member (Tech) in the Hon'ble CESTAT at Mumbai. He passed a number of landmark decisions without fear or favour.
Very few people know about the other side of his personality. He had a great sense of humour, was a playwright and had acted in dramas and in Telugu movies.
I had watched his career with great interest and saw his potential as an outstanding officer of the Department and had the privilege of drafting him to the DRI.
From TIOL archives -
+ Costao Fernandes, a Junior officer in Marmagao Customs House gathered secret intelligence that a huge quantity of gold was going to be smuggled in to the country. The landing would take place near Fartade beach, one of those lonely beaches of Goa. He decided to form a one-man-army to fight the smugglers of Goa. If people think that one-man-armies are the figments of fevered imagination of Hollywood producers, they are very wrong. Costao is a real figure. See - 2004-TIOL-1102-CESTAT-MUM
+ Penalty under Customs Act not to be imposed on the person who gives idea to the importer about a lucrative business - See 2005-TIOL-136-CESTAT-MUM
+ With monotonous regularity some miscreants crashed passenger planes into high rise buildings of New York on September 11, 2001. This type of activity created a slump in the export market for optical fibres, according to the appellants. The counsel for the Revenue is unconvinced. "September 11 and market for optical fibres!", he exclaims. - See 2005-TIOL-565-CESTAT-MUM
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