Central Information Commission asks Customs to refund fee with interest

The Central Information Commission has directed customs department to refund Rs 2,222 along with interest to an RTI applicant who was not provided information despite depositing the fee for photocopy of records.

The settlement commission of the customs department had taken 10 months after the fee was deposited to provide 1111 pages of information to activist R K Jain.

Taking stern view of the case, Information Commissioner Bimal Julka directed refund of the fee collected from Jain along with interest, in accordance with the extant guidelines issued by the Finance Ministry, from the day fee was deposited.

"The CPIO is also cautioned to be extremely careful and vigilant in handling RTI petitions in future, failing which the Commission would initiate penal action under...The RTI Act, 2005," Julka said.

Jain had sought several records from the settlement commission which he was told totalled 1111 pages. He was asked to deposit Rs 2,222 as photocopying charges for the same. But even after depositing the fee, the information was not provided to him for 10 months.