The Director General of Customs has agreed to release 991 BYD vehicles currently detained by Sri Lanka Customs, subject to several conditions, before the Court of Appeal today (08).
This agreement was expressed after considering a petition filed by John Keells CG Auto Company against the detention of the vehicles in question.
This petition was taken up before the Court of Appeal bench comprising the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Rohantha Abeysuriya and Priyantha Fernando today.
Presenting a letter from the Director General of Sri Lanka Customs before the court, Additional Solicitor General Sumathi Dharmawardena stated that the release of these 991 detained vehicles could be considered subject to several conditions.
Accordingly, the petitioner company should submit the amount of Rs. 3,552,909,200/- (nearly Rs. 3.6 billion) calculated as the difference between the taxes of the relevant vehicles as a guarantee in a state bank and the petitioner company should agree to pay the interest applicable to that guarantee, it was stated in those conditions.
The letter included a condition that the petitioner party should cooperate with the investigations carried out by Sri Lanka Customs regarding these vehicles.
In addition, it also included the appointment of a committee comprising two technical experts from the Universities of Peradeniya and Moratuwa, an expert from the Government Analyst’s Department and an expert officer from the Department of Motor Traffic to conclude whether the motor capacity of the relevant vehicles is 100 or 150 kilowatts.
In addition, the letter submitted by the Director General of Customs to the court stated several conditions, including the need to call for a report on the motor capacity of the relevant vehicles from an internationally recognized automotive quality testing laboratory in consultation with the Attorney General and subject to the approval of the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance.
Ms. Farsana Jamil, President’s Counsel for the petitioner, informed the court that she agreed to most of those conditions.
Thereafter, the court agreed to release the relevant vehicles.
At this, Additional Solicitor General Sumathi Dharmawardena, who appeared for the Director General of Customs and the respondents, informed the court that if the petitioner company submits the relevant bank guarantee today, the relevant vehicles can be released next Saturday.
Accordingly, Ms. Farsana Jamil, President’s Counsel for the petitioner, informed the court that steps will be taken to submit the relevant bank guarantee today.
The petition was then scheduled to be heard again on September 3rd.