Arrest Powers Under Customs Act & GST Law: Can Customs Officers Arrest You? Understanding ‘Reason to Believe’ vs ‘Reason to Suspect’ After Supreme Court’s Landmark Ruling

Executive Summary

The Supreme Court’s groundbreaking judgment in Radhika Agarwal v. Union of India (2025) has fundamentally reshaped arrest powers under the Customs Act 1962 and GST laws. While upholding the constitutional validity of these provisions, the Court has established a higher threshold of “reason to believe” for customs arrests compared to the “reason to suspect” standard used by police under CrPC. This analysis examines the practical implications for taxpayers, legal practitioners, and enforcement agencies.[1][2]

The Legal Framework: What Changed After Radhika Agarwal

Constitutional Validity Upheld with Conditions

The Supreme Court rejected challenges to arrest provisions in 281 petitions, confirming that Parliament has the legislative competence to create criminal sanctions for indirect tax offences. However, the Court imposed stringent procedural safeguards that fundamentally alter how arrests can be conducted.[3][4][1]

Key Statutory Provisions

“Reason to Believe” vs “Reason to Suspect”: The Critical Distinction

The Higher Threshold Explained

The Supreme Court established that “reason to believe” represents a more stringent standard than “mere suspicion”. Under Section 41 CrPC, police can arrest based on reasonable complaint, credible information, or reasonable suspicion.[2][5][1]

In contrast, customs officers under Section 104 must have “sufficient cause to believe” – meaning they must possess credible material evidence, not just suspicion.[6][7][1]

What “Reason to Believe” Requires

The Court clarified that customs officers cannot “conclude that an offence has been committed out of thin air or mere suspicion”. The “reason to believe” must include written computation showing tax evasion amount, explanation based on seized goods or documents, material evidence supporting guilt conclusion, justification for arrest rather than summons, and compliance with monetary thresholds under the Act.[7][8][3][6]

Mandatory Procedural Safeguards

CrPC Provisions Now Apply

The Supreme Court held that Sections 41-B, 41-D, 50-A(2)-(3), and 55-A of CrPC apply to customs arrests, requiring right to counsel during interrogation, family notification of arrest and detention location, medical examination and health safety measures, written grounds of arrest provided to arrestee, and accurate identification of arresting officer.[4][8][1]

Documentation Requirements

Customs officers must maintain detailed records including name of informant, nature of information received, time of arrest and seizure details, statements recorded during investigation, and paginated diary of investigation process.[8]

CBIC Guidelines Compliance

The revised CBIC Instruction 06/2024 mandates uniform arrest report formats with strict timelines and verification procedures.[9]

Grounds for Challenging Customs Arrests

Procedural Violations

High Courts can quash arrests under Article 226 or Section 482 CrPC for absence of written “reason to believe”, failure to provide arrest grounds in writing, non-compliance with CrPC safeguards, improper monetary threshold computation, and use of arrest threats for tax recovery.[10][11][1][3]

Substantive Challenges

Courts may intervene when arrest is mala fide or arbitrary, no prima facie case exists, proceedings amount to abuse of process, or material procedural breaches occurred.[12][4]

Anticipatory Bail and Legal Remedies

Anticipatory Bail Available

The Supreme Court confirmed that anticipatory bail under Section 438 CrPC is available for customs and GST offences, even before FIR registration if apprehension is reasonable.[13][14][15]

Refund Rights for Coerced Payments

The Court held that taxpayers forced to pay under threat of arrest can approach courts for refund. Officers engaging in such coercion face departmental action.[3][1]

Strategic Guidance for Legal Practitioners

Pre-Arrest Strategy

Legal practitioners should file anticipatory bail if arrest appears imminent, document any coercion for tax payments, challenge search/seizure if procedurally defective, and maintain comprehensive records of all interactions.

Post-Arrest Action Plan

Documentation Checklist for Defence

Essential documents include arrest memo with written grounds, CBIC format compliance verification, CrPC safeguards implementation record, “reason to believe” computation analysis, evidence of coercion if any, and monetary threshold verification.

Compliance Framework for Businesses

Preventive Measures

Businesses should maintain comprehensive transaction records, implement robust valuation documentation, train staff on customs procedures and rights, establish legal response protocols, and conduct regular compliance audits.

If Facing Investigation

When under investigation, businesses should cooperate while asserting rights, document all interactions, avoid voluntary payments under pressure, engage legal counsel immediately, and challenge procedural violations promptly.

Implications for Enforcement Agencies

Enhanced Accountability

Customs and GST officers must now justify arrests with material evidence, follow strict documentation protocols, respect constitutional rights consistently, and face potential legal consequences for violations.

Training Requirements

Agencies need comprehensive training on “reason to believe” threshold application, CrPC procedural compliance, CBIC format requirements, and constitutional safeguards implementation.

Conclusion

The Supreme Court’s decision in Radhika Agarwal represents a paradigm shift in customs and GST enforcement. While arrest powers remain constitutionally valid, the elevated “reason to believe” standard and mandatory CrPC safeguards provide robust protection against arbitrary detention.

For taxpayers and legal practitioners, success now depends on meticulous examination of procedural compliance rather than challenging the validity of arrest powers under Customs Act and GST provisions themselves. Every arrest must be scrutinised against the new standards – from the adequacy of written grounds to compliance with constitutional safeguards.

For enforcement agencies, the judgment demands a fundamental recalibration of arrest practices, emphasising evidence-based decision making over suspicion-driven actions. The era of using arrest threats for tax recovery has definitively ended.

The judgment strikes a careful balance between effective tax enforcement and constitutional protection of individual liberty. As this new framework evolves through implementation, continuous monitoring of judicial interpretations and departmental practices will be essential for all stakeholders in the customs and GST ecosystem.

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This analysis is based on the Supreme Court’s judgment in Radhika Agarwal v. Union of India (2025) and subsequent developments. Legal practitioners should verify current procedural requirements and judicial interpretations before advising clients.

References

[1] Constitutional Validity of Arrest Provisions Under Customs Law & GST Law Available at: https://acuitylaw.co.in/constitutional-validity-of-arrest-provisions-under-customs-law-gst-law/

[2] ‘Customs Officers’ Are Not ‘Police Officers’, Must Satisfy Higher Threshold Of ‘Reasons To Believe’ Before Arrest Available at: https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/supreme-court-ruling-customs-officers-not-police-officers-must-satisfy-higher-threshold-of-reasons-to-believe-before-arrest-285165

[3] Arrest under Customs Act, GST Acts: How Supreme Court aim to balance powers with rights Available at: https://taxonation.com/index.php/show-detail-news/2344524/arrest-under-customs-act-gst-acts-how-supreme-court-aim-to-balance-powers-with-rights

[4] SC calls for stricter regulation of warrantless arrests by revenue officers Available at: https://www.scobserver.in/journal/sc-calls-for-stricter-regulation-of-warrantless-arrests-by-revenue-officers/

[5] Supreme Court Rules: Customs Officers Must Meet Stricter ‘Reasons to Believe’ Standard Before Arresting Suspects Available at: https://legal-wires.com/buzz/supreme-court-rules-customs-officers-must-meet-stricter-reasons-to-believe-standard-before-arresting-suspects/

[6] SUPREME COURT ON ARREST POWERS UNDER GST AND CUSTOMS LAW Available at: https://www.taxtmi.com/article/detailed?id=14307

[7] Supreme Court’s verdict on constitutional validity of “power to arrest” provisions under Customs and GST Acts Available at: https://www.scconline.com/blog/post/2025/03/03/supreme-court-verdict-constitutional-validity-arrest-provisions-customs-gst-acts/

[8] Arrest powers under Customs and GST laws – Supreme Court clarifies Available at: https://lakshmisri.com/newsroom/news-briefings/arrest-powers-under-customs-and-gst-laws-supreme-court-clarifies/

[9] Revised Customs Arrest Report Format CBIC’s Latest Update Available at: https://www.efiletax.in/blog/revised-customs-arrest-report-format-cbics-latest-update/

[10] Section 482 CRPC Available at: https://blog.ipleaders.in/section-482-crpc/

[11] Power High Court Under Section 482 CRPC Available at: https://ssrana.in/articles/power-high-courts-section-482-crpc/

[12] Apex Court Upholds The Arrest Provisions Under Customs And GST With Emphasis On The Need For Procedural Rigor And Fairness To Exercise Such Powers Available at: https://www.mondaq.com/india/tax-authorities/1594802/apex-court-upholds-the-arrest-provisions-under-customs-and-gst-with-emphasis-on-the-need-for-procedural-rigor-and-fairness-to-exercise-such-powers

[13] SC Upholds Power of Arrest Under Customs, GST Acts Available at: https://lawbeat.in/supreme-court-judgments/supreme-court-upholds-power-arrests-under-custom-gst-acts

[14] Anticipatory bail applicable to GST, customs law even in absence of FIR: Supreme Court [27.2.2025] Available at: https://gojuris.in/newsdetail.aspx?newsid=8085

[15]  Persons can seek anticipatory bail in cases related to GST, Customs even in absence of FIR:SC Available at:  https://www.taxtmi.com/news?id=35423