The Central Bureau of Investigation conducted searches on Tuesday at the residences of 12 suspended central excise officials in Surat in connection with the Rs 120 crore excise-rebate scam of 2004, sources said.

Sleuths of the anti-corruption wing of the CBI conducted searches by sending seperate teams at 15 premises of 12 high-ranked officials, including assistant commissioners and inspectors for their alleged involvement in this scam, the sources said adding, two lockers belonging to the officials were also sealed.

Raids were also conducted on the official and residential premises of two exporters at various places.

The scam was unearthed last July and when it was detected that 34 bogus export firms had, in connivance with some excise officials, claimed several crores as rebate, sources said.

The cheating involved forging documents like producing fake bills about exports to the Gulf countries. The authencity of documents produced were not cross-checked by accused Central Excise officials, they added.