The Chennai customs claimed that the company has an established pattern of making unsubstantiated allegations of corruption and bribery, only to delete such posts once factual rebuttals are provided by this department.
Published Oct 02, 2025 | 10:21 AM ⚊ Updated Oct 02, 2025 | 10:21 AM
The statement by Wintrack.
Synopsis: The announcement by cargo and logistics company Wintrack that it is ending its operations in India, allegedly due to the corrupt practices by the Chennai customs, has drawn sharp reactions from people.
The announcement by cargo and logistics company Wintrack that it is ending its operations in India, effective from 1 October, allegedly due to the corrupt practices by the Chennai customs, has drawn sharp reactions from people and prominent politicians, including parliamentarians.
“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,” the company said in a post on X.
Following the company’s announcement, people questioned the Union government’s claim of “ease of doing business” in India and demanded answers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Finance Ministry and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Meanwhile, the Chennai customs refuted the allegations. However, Wintrack Founder Prawin Ganeshan claimed that he has documented evidence with names and the money paid.
Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shasi Tharoor claimed that corruption remains rampant across the system.
“This is truly dismaying. Corruption remains rampant across the system and most companies simply comply as part of the “price of doing business”. It doesn’t have to be this way. Indeed it must not be like this if the country is to grow and prosper,” he wrote on X in response to the company.
“Madame Nirmala Sitharaman this is not acceptable. You have failed to stamp out systemic corruption in our ports. Please stop this. You are our FM and our PM Narendra Modi had promised us corruption free rule. You have also failed to stop TAX TERRORISM. Please see the table you yourself presented in your last budget. I hope you have seen it. Rs 30l cr stuck up in tax disputes, 15 cr said to be recoverable- ~80% + in last 5 years! 15l cr deemed non recoverable- no assets, no assessee. Please act. Sad to read this data,” wrote former Infosys CFO TV Mohandas Pai.
One X user noted that this was the reality of ease of doing business in India under the BJP rule.
“Dear @narendramodi ji, @nsitharaman mam, @cbic_india- if this is the way want to become Atmanirbhar, I don’t see we are heading in a good direction. Everyone who has travelled abroad has a story to tell about the difficulties faced from Custom officials,” noted an X user.
“India is witnessing the worst phase of government corruption in the history of independent India,” wrote another user.
“Corruption is so deep rooted in India and it will ultimately destroy us, half of the people here have craze of joining a government job to just have a permanent source of money. This is pathetic and shameful,” said an X user.
“Any comments @sanjeevsanyal? @FinMinIndia @nsitharaman. Hope we see quick intervention to prevent this!! @ptrmadurai @mkstalin,” asked journalist Sucheta Dalal.
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… pic.twitter.com/PmGib8srmM
— WINTRACK INC (@wintrackinc) October 1, 2025
The Chennai customs claimed that the company has an established pattern of making unsubstantiated allegations of corruption and bribery, only to delete such posts once factual rebuttals are provided by this department.
“The importer’s social media posts reveal a calculated pattern: allegations of corruption when facing legitimate scrutiny, followed deletion of his thread when facts of violation by importer are placed on record. This selective narrative is a deliberate tactic to pressure officials into releasing cargo without following due process. We categorically state that every action taken was legally mandated, procedurally proper, and based on documented violations discovered during examination,” it said.
“Chennai Customs will not be deterred by false allegations from performing its statutory duties. We remain committed to lawful, transparent, and professional conduct while enforcing regulations designed to protect public health, consumer safety, and environmental standards,” it added.
Refuting the claims, Ganeshan wrote: “I had personally met Group 5 AC Mr PV Sudhakaran in New Customs House,and conveyed grievance that Why ridiculous bribe is demanded on a new company and we had no other option to pay and release it to avoid demurrage and losses. Shipment was released upon total bribe of Rs 2,10,000 for a value of $6993 USD. I know department will cookup some stories to refuse their claim,i have documented evidence with names and money paid.”
“Will Customs act against officers who received bribes last week? Since Wintrack Inc. will expose on Twitter that another company, owned by my wife, was asked for a ₹2.1 lakh ransom (₹1.6 lakh + ₹50,000) for an import value of ₹6.25 lakh. Let the public calculate the bribe percentage. I know 1000’s of shipments from China cleared without BIS and other compliances by paying bribes at Indian ports,” Ganeshan posted on X from the company’s X handle following the Chennai Customs’ response.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
