The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has directed regional authorities to physically verify all documents of applicants for the export of wheat before issuing registration certificates (RCs), the Ministry of Commerce & Industry said on Tuesday.
In order to plug the loophole, it has been decided that the regional authorities will do a physical verification of all Letters of Credit, whether already approved or under process. Wherever necessary, the help of a professional agency may be taken for such verification, the ministry said in a statement.
The DGFT has also directed the regional authorities to get the documents validated and endorsed by recipient banks.
In cases where the Letter of Credit date is on or prior to 13th May 2022 but the swift message exchange date between the Indian and Foreign bank is after 13th May 2022, the regional authorities may conduct a full investigation and if these are found to be antedated, immediate proceedings under FT (D&R) Act, 1992 to be initiated against the exporters, the ministry said.
Such cases are to be further examined for referring to enforcement agencies like the Economic Offence Wing (EOW) / Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). In case of the complicity of any Banker in cases where ante-dating is established, necessary proceedings as per law will be initiated, it added.
The Government of India had earlier (on 13th May 2022) restricted wheat exports to manage the overall food security situation in India and to support the needs of neighbouring and vulnerable countries that are adversely affected by the sudden changes in the global market for wheat and are unable to access adequate wheat supplies.
( With inputs from ANI )
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