DRI detains Nagpur areca nut trader Jayesh Panchamatia in Rs 35 crore import case

The Indore unit of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has detained Nagpur areca nut trader Jayesh Panchamatia, who is also known in the market as Tikku Bhai. The case dates to 2024 and concerns alleged illegal import of areca nut and evasion of customs duty.

A DRI team is said to have acted in Nagpur and taken Panchamatia to Indore for questioning. The action has caused considerable unease in the city's areca nut market. According to sources, about 10 traders from different parts of the country have also been detained in connection with the probe.

Sources said the case relates to areca nut worth roughly Rs 30 to 35 crore seized in Indore in 2024. A consignment was also reportedly seized from Panchamatia's godown. It is alleged that the sacks carried labels reading "Origin of Bangladesh".

The agency is now examining the entire supply chain and the alleged Bangladesh connection. The DRI reportedly suspects that the information given about the country of origin of the goods may be false, as Bangladesh is not considered a major producer of areca nut. The probe is also looking at the possibility of large-scale customs duty evasion.

The import duty on areca nut is said to be around 105 per cent, which has made compliance with customs rules a key part of the investigation. Officials suspect that the traders used different routes and methods to avoid the prescribed duty. The goods were then brought to Nagpur and supplied to gutkha manufacturers.

Sources said three more people from Nagpur have been named in the case. They are described as traders linked to the businesses of Chaurasia and Siddiqui. A financier is also named, who is alleged to invest in areca nut deals under the cover of an iron trade. Action against these people is expected as the probe progresses.

The questioning of Panchamatia is believed to be aimed at tracing the whole network, including suppliers, financiers and distribution routes.

Panchamatia's name is said to have figured earlier in customs-related cases in Chennai, including proceedings before the CBI and the Madras High Court. Those cases also related to areca nut imports.

The latest DRI action is expected to put Nagpur's large areca nut trade under scrutiny again. Investigators are trying to establish how the goods were imported, transported and distributed, and whether customs duty was evaded deliberately.