Inspectors of octroi dept can raid shops

Soon, octroi department officers will be given the authority to check records of goods kept in shops or godowns to verify octroi payment.

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) general body on Wednesday passed a resolution to this effect.

The incharge of octroi department and deputy municipal commissioner, Hemant Nikam, said the decision would help the civic body boost revenue and check evasion.

“The octroi officers can check records of any shop without notice. The implementation of the resolution would start immediately assuming that the state government would approve the new rules,” he said.

So far, only the municipal commissioner and incharge of octroi department had such powers. There are an estimated 40 officers who would now carry out such tasks.