High Court Karnataka High Court

Mr Ravish Kamath vs The Commissioner Of Customs on 28 June, 2008

Karnataka High Court
Mr Ravish Kamath vs The Commissioner Of Customs on 28 June, 2008
Author: V.Gopalagowda & Malimath
 

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BANG~.€:1;OR§.§l   

DATED 'I'HlS THE 28TH DAY" OEJUNE      u  k

PRESENT

THE HQNBLE MR.JUS'FICE V..§}OI5AL'A   E

AND

THE HON 'BLE MR.JU§TICE w\LI;.qATH

CENTRAL SALES TAx.Ar¥?}3AL %mo.L3/2608 c/w
CENTRAL SALES TAXARPEAL. rmz/zzros c/w
CENTRAL...  'PA}(_AI_fPE.5s.l; No.3 1 /2007

CENTRAL ':~$,gr;_3,"«;_:,+,";;_;3.L_:;_g.J.%i:%g2oos
BE'I'WEEN;7 . -   L

Mr.Ravisi1  '4 'i:1''=2V _ V " 

I'M/S'.Bi"g"   L1m' ited

U'uit~5.,." 1o~o%*F.oU 
No. 2 1:2! 1.17;"MachGha1}i

 V'  . Wshwa  axnfifizist

Banga1<ire-§60-  1.  APPELLANT

  9"{By sz~i,I5;.S.Ravisnankar, Advecate)

 V _ "§'he"{3'om1nissioner cf Custems
 'j  . .;P,B.No.54oo, C.R.Buildings
  Queens Road,
 Bangalore-560 001. V  RESPONDENT

violation of any provision ef the Customs Act,

the Rules 8; Regulations framed thereunder, etc. ~ .

These csms coming on for hearing

GOPALA GOWDA J., delivered the

In thase appeals azgdh 2)’
by Mr.Ravish Kamath, /3.

Big Bags India Pvt. gm. is filed
by Dimctor of
M/ possessor of raw
materials Appcllant Company

_(v;1.testi£?I;iiI”lgA.tl1e.Va1;der passed by the Customs

1*!-.;;:f§sug;.~=:1fi:1§t;e:V:fi’z:1bux1ai (hcrciImi’£cr in short called as

as levy of penalty for violation’ of

vcc:tai1i””term.s’zii1d conditions or 100% Exempficm to the

vidc Not.if1mt:i.on No.52/03-(3%

issued uhder ttm Customs Act of 1962

T in short ‘Act’). In so far as other two

hufippellants are comznemad, they have challenged the

‘m/

penalty imposed upon them 11/ sec. 110-O of

non-complying with the terms eoridfiiotisii of

Notification granting

applicant in the first to VA

fulther direction issued
11/ soc.112–B of the ‘-of the goods
fraxxfmg cortaio in which are
for the
goes, in so fm’ as
appeal and in so far as appeal

Nos.3/ are concerned the loomed

” the contended that the penalty

” 11/ sec. 1 12–»B of the Act, pmt1cI’ Jlarly

V_ANo;.{3f20()8 for non-compliance’ with the terms

conoiiflons of Exemption Notification wanted in

‘ of the appellant Company, who is an exporter

‘ regard to importing of goods with exemption of

‘ iopayment: of customs duty to it to use such

imported goods as raw materials for manufacture of the

\\\L/

goods and export: 100% of the same.

exempted imported goods were sold..Q;1 ” ” V

appeilant in C.S.T.A.No.3l/2007 7-1:

penalty upon them under

non-compliance with thgf: poxtclitianayyfiof the
exemption granted in “4’i3;§’oi1z’_v ‘4 ii}
Appeal No.2] itfixder Section
1 1 1-0 upon; urging varicrus
gI’ound$vand_ to impugned orders by
mlswerifig “thfiy _;qi1cstions framed in the

Appeals: at

Aixrtdigputettmfacts of the case are referred to by

f.~.ppenare Tribunal in the impugmd

H V’ the levy of penalty on the tllants is

_. the prooedum contemplated under the

‘. “_f’)I2’\’}vVi8i:{}IlS of the Custams Act read with Rules mud alter

T opportunity to the appellants to file thch’

‘4 A. statement of objections and participate in the

\\~x/

proceedings. The Assessing Ofiieer has

by recording a finding holding =

duty free imported goods in

Commny in the first sé.iee._’asVVViriput

goods for manufactqxe of with
certain terms and ‘4 ie violated by it.

The Adgudicgegg the
customs Vc~<1"I§é:Vii:'t§§tV§f'1'VVV'No.3 (:1) (1) (ii) of
the dated 31-3-2003 as
" 72(d) of the Customs Act,

1962 a112d ; 11eo: No.4(a) (ii) the Notification

Excise dated 31-3-2003 as

saliefying the material' evidence on

Assessing Officer has held, that the goods

duty free by the appellant company have been

A ":L."' to M/sflhakrapam' Vyapar Pvt.Ltd which is in

h xéiohtion of the exemption notification ganted hm favour

of the appellant company in Appeal No.2/2008. The

appellant in C.S.'I'.A.No.31/2007 is the Director of the

\N/

to that extent the penalty levied awnst the

justified and not levying the ' '

provisions of Section 28 of

excise duty also upon the " L'

appeal for contxaventititt of eeaztditions of
exemption order ef raw
material by ' the
goods in e fadlitate it to
100% duty free
'same to ibreign countries

and earn

V. xeomieei for the appellant Sari

submits that both customs, excise

levied upon the company and its Chief

'Executive'3~0tfieer is erroneous in law. This aspect of the

is not oonsidemd by the Appellate Tribmnl While

eoizsiderirg the wee put forth before it by the company.

' :~V'Therefore, the learned counsel requests this Court to

NZ

answer the re-framed subfiantial questions of =

favour of the 9.3% and requests this Lmxrt' % *

the above appeals filed both by V'

C.E.O tar setting aside the

passed by the Tribunal.

4. learned counsel fat 2;, ap’pcIlant in
C.S.T.A.No.31/209.7 that the
concurrent V01.’ the Appelmte
‘I’ribuna1 ‘l’§W-..,__f’°0r the reason that there: is

no . for Ian. I: threats” 1’ ‘

receipt’ pf ‘exéijfiptéd duty goods by the

for the purpmc of exporting

as raw material for mamfiactuze of

H V’ 100% :’ggods to export it to some fore-.1g1′

‘ the absence of knowledge attributed to the

above appeal for rmmng” threnmpalted’
T duty fxhe goods or raw materials fi’0El the

‘Company and the same is not establifiwd by the

\N/

Assessing Officer to pass order, therefore _

is not liabic to pay penalty levied open ” =

submits there may be a

confiscate the goods bin”. v

the knowledge amihuteci a:ne._ having
received the duty the duty is
not prtsved, by his
company ;is Section 112

(b) ortne submitted that the
fonov;i;1g’«—-i;o “Appeal No.31/2007 woum

oertainjy’ £_'(‘§r’o.’._cof1:sidcz’&tion of this Court and

V. ‘_ ;*oqiioat£:g1__ttns Court to answer the same in his

‘ his appeal:

1} Whether the concurrent finding of fact
.. recorded by the Tribmxal is erroneous
‘ \- ” for non-consideration of the matefld
evidence produced by the appellant
before the Assessmg Authority wherein
hchasstatwthathehadma
knowledge that imported goods
receivw by him are supplied to the
Company in cont1’avox1tion of innns

NM

12

and conditions of the Notification

No.52/02? < T *

5. With reference to the said legal

Mxxshashikanth, the learned V’

respondent / Assessing Authcifity 31/ ‘ ~

has sought to justify the «l
recorded by the Trib1mgl and” it isomltended
that it has reduced appellant
from Rs.1,(l{).,(3*i1u_l(§j-“”i”<)?' which ammt is
very on the part of the

'I'ribunalA'i11 Nonetheless, the order

passggi by dlyes not call for interference by

lzlsis that the A Authority

Authority have applied their

_ miratl'–corificiflizlsly re-apprec1a' ted the facts and mat7c1:1al'

record and recorded a finding of ma;

that that was a lawwlcclge we the Director of

l jjlfitflfil Company in Appeal No.31/2007 by receiving 100%

ll imported goods supplied by the appellant Corapaauy in

C.S.'I'.A. No.2/2008 contravcning the

conditions. Therefore, the question of Law

for consideration of this Comt

the appeals with costs.

6. We have heard the for V

the parties and me
finding of fafit Tribunal with
regard to 1evyi:§;Lg%’ pt ‘Chief Executive’ %
Ofiicer of availed 100%
the imported goods
who is%%n:1§e “CSTA No.2/2008 and the

lZ)1re<'*' .;.cz*_of who is the posse% of

. to the Company, we have to

EI;.r:V1a\§'.V7V€;'1"- the question of law framed by the

_ appe.1laJ§ts C.S.T.A N032 and 3/2008 do arise or not

Lof t finding of fact based on

facts and material on record, viz, that the

kj %. ' cfimpany has availed 100% 13.0.0: and had the benefit

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for 100% export.

ewsof the Veovnditions of the exemption granted in

_ oi’ taepellant in CSTA No.2/2008, but still the
material imported is not misused by the

by selling in the open market, the said
is not mpmd by the Asmmg Authority

who is the fact finding amhority. The said fimfing of

14

of raw materials imported with free custom
duty on certain terms and conditions’ ., ..
Department. The exporter ofthe
to utilim those 100% duty
materials for the purpqse of gcgode to
export it to foreign exchange to
the country. company to
the Show given before
the Assessing’ were given to
M] Ltd., is not for saie but

Company ” raw materials fim it

‘IV’.h:eref’e’1e,A it that there was contravention

fact is confirmed by both the First Appellate e

and Tribunal by recording valid and

after re-appreciatzion of material ‘V

with reference to the legal

by the appellants in ‘-&; 3! ‘V

careful perusal of
passed by the Tribunal’ mecment

with the View the does not call

for ‘-tn… of customs duty,
excise ~ on the Company

$63.2 & 3/2008. Therefore, we

v _hol;:§ me liable to be dismiswd holding

–._substant:ial questions of law would not

reason tkmt the fact findmg” authority”

?,_nas a finding of fact holding that the cmmpmd

A 5.’ has cunfiavmmed the terms and conditions of

‘ the exemption notification in not utilising the 100%

exempted imported materials for manuihcture of goods

\m/

to export the same to the foreign countries and

finding is concurred with by the appellate J

7. In so tier as Director of

duty free imported goods _ is is’

undisputed fact that the supiily of” <i'u_t_y'-
goods by the 10()%.'::<i~u_1:y with
certain terms and dated
2 1/03; wh1owledge of the
appeflmrét j a suppiier Comwly
is 100% of fact recorded by me

Tfibggial ta cencurrent finding of fact is that

"«..(3ompany had the knowledge of recem' 'Hg

imported goods. The said finding of

_fact"is by the Tribunal and reduced penalty

an the appellant in C.S.T.A.No.31f200'7.

we do not find any ground uryd by the

b big "iea"m: ed counsei Mr.Gur1n'a_.j. in this appeal axe tenable in

9' law, and tllerefere there is no need for us to interfere

1'?

with the order of penalty imposed upon the

the oommny which has received 100%

from the company.

8. For the aforesaid

the Director of ‘raw .’ am
dismissed. No order 933 L ‘4 _

,59a-