As per the provisions of Baggage Rules, 1998, a passenger is allowed to import Bonafide baggage in the following manner:

Rule 3 Read with Appendix A and Appendix B	Passengers returning from countries other than Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar or China
Rule 4 Read with Appendix B	Passengers returning from Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar or China.
Rule 5 Read with Appendix C	Professionals returning to India.
Rule 6 Read with Appendix D	Jewellery.
Rule 7 Read with Appendix E	Tourists
Rule 8 Read with Appendix F	Transfer of residence\
Rule 9	Provisions regarding unaccompanied baggage
Rule 10	Application of these Rules to members of the crew

Now, CBEC has realized that the scheme of Baggage Rules is being misused in the following manner:

"It is reported that a single passenger arriving into India brings goods said to be belonging to several other persons as his unaccompanied baggage and that clearance of all such goods was being permitted at some of the airports/Customs station without invoking any penal provisions. Colloquially this is referred to as "door-to-door delivery" traffic".

Therefore, CBEC has issued a circular no. 35/3007 dated 28-09-2007 for the purpose of preventing the misuse, by stating:

"It is, therefore, reiterated that all the provisions of Customs Act, 1962 and Baggage Rules, 1998 are applicable to unaccompanied baggage as they are applicable to baggage (accompanied), except the free allowance which is not available for unaccompanied baggage".

Misuse of baggage rules: unaccompanied baggage treated as accompanied baggage and free allowance excluded under customs law. Unaccompanied baggage used to import goods for multiple persons is an abuse of the baggage concessions; all provisions applicable to accompanied baggage apply to unaccompanied baggage except that the free allowance is not available, and penal provisions may be invoked to prevent door to door delivery exploitation.