Sushmita Sen

New Delhi, July 9: The Supreme Court today refused to stop criminal proceedings against Mumbai-based car dealer and financier Haren Choksey who had helped actress Sushmita Sen import a Toyota Landcruiser in 2005.

Choksey, who is facing charges of forgery and cheating under the Indian Penal Code for various irregularities relating to the import of the car, was arrested on April 25, 2008. The dealer, who is out on bail, is also facing parallel proceedings under the Customs Act for undervaluing and underdeclaring octroi duty in the same case.

Sushmita has been cleared of any wrongdoing.

Choksey’s lawyer today said his client was “already facing proceedings under the Customs Act and has been granted immunity from prosecution under that act”. But the court refused to give him any interim relief.

“You will have to face action. There is something irregular going on. Immunity under the customs law does not cover fraud,” a bench, headed by Justice S.H. Kapadia, said. “This court will not interfere at this interim stage.”

The bench added: “There is a limit to what is going on in this country. These kinds of things need monitoring.”

Mumbai police had also arrested Bala Shetty alias Vasu Panderi Thamalla, a day labourer in Saudi Arabia, in whose name the car was imported. Choksey used Shetty’s name to show the import as transfer of residence and avoid duty, the police said.