Cases should be taken to logical conclusion expeditiously: FM to DRI

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday urged officials of intelligence wings to take every case to logical conclusion expeditiously, so that it can deter perpetrators of economic crime like smuggling.

Speaking at the 64th DRI Foundation Day, the Finance Minister said logical conclusion is important but speedier conclusion is what will keep the heat on people who are promoting these kinds of activities.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), under the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), is an intelligence and enforcement agency of the Government of India on anti-smuggling matters. She stressed on capacity building so that the officials are quick to pick up right intelligence inputs and act on time.

”You get a lot of intelligence input, but sometimes and many times it is difficult to identify if it is really actionable, sometimes they’re so generic. To act on it becomes difficult…capacity to be built within these institutions to make sure you’re able to see which of these intelligence inputs are so quickly actionable,” she said.

Agencies like DRI based on their experience can give ideas on the methods through those illegal acts can be prevented, she said.

”I think attempts at preventing will also have to be undertaken by us while deterrence and detection will always have to be on the high,” she said. She exhorted the DRI to be vigilant with regard to toxic waste being dumped into the country.

In emerging economies ”because of the way in which we have built over the decades capacity to recycle materials, I’m afraid quite a large attempt and frequent attempt is being made on bringing in toxic waste to our shores and leave them there. So I would think that is an area on which I would like to see DRI more active”, she said. She also observed that greater media coverage of success of DRI’s would also deter the perpetrators of illegal activities.