← Back to litigation

Calcutta High Court — challenge to Customs withholding e-cigarette imports (2014)

Calcutta High Court, West Bengal · Status: Disposed

A commercial importer challenged Customs' decision to withhold an e-cigarette consignment at Kolkata Airport, after the Drugs Controller gave an adverse opinion but no law was found to actually restrict the import. This is the oldest matter on this page, decided nearly five years before the national ban.

Outcome: Decided in the importer's favour: the court found no legal provision restricting e-cigarette imports and ordered the withheld consignment released.

Renamed and shortened at the site owner’s request: court and year only, no case numbers.

This is a seller-brought case, clearly distinct from AVI: it was filed and argued by the importer, not by AVI. AVI is a consumer advocacy organisation and does not fund, file, or direct litigation on behalf of importers or vendors. Where this case drew on research or arguments AVI has separately developed and published, that reflects publicly available analysis, not coordination between AVI and the litigant.