Government functions with the help of the taxes collected from the citizens. The tax levy is a system, which is generally not to the liking of the public. Hence, the tax evasion is the major field, where Government revenue is lost. To enhance the detection of evasion, Government has framed the system of rewards to the people who help in the detection of the tax evasion. The following are a few guidelines for the people who like to help detection of Customs Duty evasion/frauds:

Under the existing Reward Scheme, Government of India grants handsome rewards to informers who provide specific information leading to seizure of goods, currency, bullion or leads to detection of duty evasion including wrong declaration of quantity, description, value etc. An information is any useful message received from the public or any person for that matter revealing fraudulent evasion of duty. It is the message based on which the department officials conduct further enquiry and investigation leading to seizure/detention. An information has to be given in writing addressed to the Head of the department, after affixing the signature of the person giving the information along with the left-hand thumb impression. An information should contain details of the evasion known, such as name & address of the firm, method adopted for the evasion, the persons responsible and all other relevant details.

The maximum amount of reward to the informers can be as high as 20% of net sale-proceeds of the contraband goods seized and/or amount of duty  evaded plus amount of fine and penalty recovered.  The maximum reward in respect of gold is Rs.50,000/- per Kg., for silver it is Rs. 1,000/- per Kg., for Opium it is Rs. 220/- per Kg., for Heroin it is Rs. 20,000/- per Kg., for Cocaine it is Rs. 40,000/- per Kg. and for Hashish it is Rs. 400/- per Kg. 

The reward scheme to the Informer has been extended to the cases of recovery from tax defaulters as per Ministry's letter file no. 13011/3/2004-Cus(AS) dated 12.08.2005 issued by the Deputy Secretary, Government of India, Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue, C.B.E.C., New Delhi. The text of the said scheme is as under :

(i) The reward scheme shall be extended to grant of suitable reward to an informer who gives information regarding the whereabouts, assets, immovable properities etc. of persons from whom arrears of duty, tax, fine, penalty etc. [under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1994 in so far as the said Act contains provisions relating to Service Tax] are recoverable and the information results in recovery or arrears.

(ii) The grant of reward shall be considered only in those cases where the Chief Commissioner is satisfied that

(iii)  The reward in such a cases can be given up to a maximum of 5% of the amount recovered and the quantum of reward will be determined by such as the nature, accuracy, accountability  and efficacy of the information, and other attendant factors.

(iv)  In those cases where the case was originally booked on the basis of information provided by an informer, reward to the informer(s) giving information leading to arrears recovery shall be given out of the total reward available in the informer category as per exisiting policy.

(v)   In order to expedite arrears recovery, the jurisdictional Commissioner may, if necessary, invite information from the general public through notices in the print / electronic media in a case where recovery of arrears is pending on account of the fact that the whereabouts/details of assets of the defaulter are not known, and the Chief Commissioner is satisified that all possible efforts have been made by the Departmental officers in this regard.

(vi)   For removal of doubts, it is clarified that reward in cases of arrears recovery shall be admissible only to informers and not to officers.