Maintenance of records in relation to warehoused goods - CBEC's Customs Manual 2023 - Customs

18. Maintenance of records in relation to warehoused goods: 18.1 A licensee shall, - (a) maintain detailed records of the receipt, handling, storing, and removal of any goods into or from the warehouse, as the case may be, and produce the same to the bond officer, as and when required; (b) keep a record of each activity, operation or action taken in relation to the warehoused goods; (c) keep a record of drawl of samples from the warehoused goods under the Act or any other law for the time being in force; and (d) keep copies of the bills of entry, transport documents, Forms for transfer of goods from a warehouse, shipping bills or bills of export or any other documents evidencing the receipt or removal of goods into or from the warehouse and copies of the bonds executed under section 59. 18.2 The records and accounts required to be maintained under sub- regulation (1) shall be kept updated and accurate and preserved for a minimum period of five years from the date of removal of goods from the warehouse and shall be made available for inspection by the bond officer or any other officer authorised under the Act. 18.3 A licensee shall also preserve updated digital copies of the records specified under sub-regulation (1) at a place other than the warehouse to prevent loss of records due to natural calamities, fire, theft, skilful pilferage or computer malfunction. 18.4 A licensee shall file with the bond officer a monthly return of the receipt, storage, operations and removal of the goods in the warehouse, within ten days after the close of the month to which such return relates. 18.5 Where the period specified in section 61 for warehousing of goods is expiring in a particular month, the licensee shall furnish such information to the bond officer on or before the 10th day of the month immediately preceding the month of such expiry. 18.6 The data prescribed for maintenance of records, shall be stored electronically. The software for maintenance of electronic records must incorporate the feature of audit trail which means a secure, computer generated, time-stamped electronic record that allows for reconstruction of the course events relating to the creation, modification, or deletion of an electronic record and includes actions at the record or system level, such as, attempts to access the system or delete or modify a record.