'I just closed the warehouse': Chennai founder walks away after ₹3K ‘one-click’ approval request

An animal nutritionist shutting his Tamil Nadu warehouse over a ₹3,000 bribe demand isn’t just a one-off incident—it echoes a growing chorus of small business owners alleging deep-rooted corruption in India’s customs and compliance systems.

Dr. Ravi Pachaiyappan, founder of AugiePets, sparked fresh outrage on X after revealing that a ₹3,000 bribe demand to approve a Google Map update for his Krishnagiri warehouse pushed him to shut it down entirely. “Refusing to pay, I just closed the warehouse,” he wrote.

His experience mirrors the far more explosive case involving Wintrack Inc, a Chennai-based import firm, which alleged systemic bribery by Chennai Customs—accusations that have now snowballed into a national-level controversy.

Wintrack’s founder, Prawin Ganeshan, claimed he was forced to shut down Indian operations after 45 days of alleged harassment, including bribe demands of ₹1.5 lakh to clear minor shipments. He has publicly named customs officials and shared WhatsApp chats, payment receipts, and video messages to back his claims.

Chennai Customs has hit back hard, labeling the allegations as “false,” “calculated,” and part of a pattern. They insist the delays stemmed from misdeclaration of items like USB cables with batteries that require EPR compliance. The CBIC has acknowledged the dispute and promised a full review.

The storm has drawn sharp reactions from public figures. Mohandas Pai slammed the incident as “tax terrorism,” while Shashi Tharoor called corruption in trade “rampant.” Small importers have flooded X with similar stories—from bribe demands to long clearance delays.

Dr. Ravi’s story, though involving a smaller sum, adds weight to the narrative: red tape and petty corruption are quietly eroding India’s small business base.

“This is how corruption operates—quiet, small-scale, but relentless,” one user wrote in response.