Central Excise Exemption For Cotton Fabrics Not Available If Any Interlinked Process Uses Power : Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has held that manufacturers cannot claim central excise duty exemption for processed cotton fabrics if power is used at any stage of the manufacturing chain, even when the work is carried out through separate units. The Court restored a duty and penalty demand that had been set aside by the Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT).To claim excise duty exemption for 'cotton fabrics' processed without the aid of power or steam, the manufacturing stages must be...

Bombay High Court Restores Registration Of Imported Car, Says RTO Cannot Ignore Customs Settlement Commissions' Findings

The Bombay High Court has held that authorities cannot override or ignore the findings of the Customs Settlement Commission while taking administrative action. The Court ruled that once the Commission accepts the disclosure, settles duty liability and grants immunity under Section 127H of the Customs Act, its order becomes final and conclusive under Section 127J, and no other authority can indirectly reopen the customs issue. A bench of Justice N.J. Jamadar while hearing the writ...

'Writ Not Maintainable In Face Of Disputed Ownership': Delhi High Court In Customs Gold Confiscation Case

The Delhi High Court recently refused to entertain a writ petition challenging confiscation of an air travellers' gold jewellery by the Customs, citing disputed ownership of the gold.A division bench of Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Renu Bhatnagar observed,“The foundational facts of the petition itself would be different in as much as the detention receipt has been issued only to one lady but the gold is claimed by three ladies. The ownership of these bangles would have to be determined. These...

Admission Solutions By TC Global To Foreign Universities Not 'Intermediary Service': Delhi High Court Upholds CESTAT Order

The Delhi High Court has held that TC Global, operating as an App-based platform offering admission support solutions like promotional and marketing services, advertisements, roadshows, fairs, counselling to foreign universities, against payment in foreign exchange would qualify as 'Export of Service' instead of 'Intermediary Service'. In a judgment dated November 28, 2025, the Division Bench, comprising Justice Prathiba M. Singh and Justice Renu Bhatnagar affirmed CESTAT Delhi order...

Sales Tax Discharged At NPV Under State Incentive Scheme Not Addable To Transaction Value For Excise Duty: CESTAT Mumbai

The Customs, Excise & Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT), Mumbai has held that sales tax deferred under a State incentive scheme and later discharged at Net Present Value (NPV) cannot be treated as “sales tax not paid” for the purpose of including it in the transaction value for levy of Central Excise duty. A Division Bench of C.J. Mathew (Technical Member) and Ajay Sharma (Judicial Member) allowed the appeal filed by the assessee and set aside the demand raised under Section...

Customs Can't Make Passengers/Lawyers Sign Waiver Of SCN Or Hearing At Goods Appraisement Stage: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has made it clear that the Customs Department cannot make a passenger or his lawyer sign an undertaking for waiver of show cause notice or personal hearing, when they appear for appraisement of seized articles.A division bench of Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Renu Bhatnagar made the observation while dealing with an NRI's plea, whose gold chain was seized by the Customs on his arrival from Saudi Arabia.The Petitioner contended that neither any SCN was issued not personal...

Delhi High Court Imposes Costs On Party For Misrepresenting New Gold Jewellery As 'Old'; Orders Release Subject To Payment Of Duty

The Delhi High Court has imposed costs on two Petitioners who falsely claimed that their old gold jewellery was seized by the Customs Department upon their arrival from Dubai.On production of the gold items before it, a division bench of Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Renu Bhatnagar observed,“it is clear that the gold items are not used gold jewellery of the Petitioners, and the same are absolutely brand new jewellery, which is stated to have been purchased by the Petitioners in Dubai and were...

Extended Limitation Cannot Be Invoked Without Proof Of Intent To Evade: CESTAT Delhi Sets Aside Service Tax Demand On Car Parking Charges

The Customs, Excise & Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT), Principal Bench, New Delhi has held that the extended period of limitation under the proviso to Section 73(1) of the Finance Act, 1994 cannot be invoked in the absence of clear evidence of suppression of facts with intent to evade service tax. A Division Bench comprising Justice Dilip Gupta (President) and P.V. Subba Rao (Technical Member) allowed the appeal against the order of Commissioner(appeals) filed by the...

'Invested Substantial Savings': Delhi High Court Permits Redemption Of Labourer's Gold Bar Seized By Customs

The Delhi High Court recently permitted a labourer, working in the middle-east, to redeem gold bars confiscated by the Customs Department, after a four-year delay.In doing so, a division bench of Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Renu Bhatnagar took note of the Petitioner's financial status, which purportedly prevented him from paying the redemption fine in time.“Bearing in mind the fact that the Petitioner is from an economically weaker section, is working as a labourer in Saudi Arabia and may...

NRI Entitled To Bring Personal Jewellery/Watch For Re-Export: Delhi High Court Orders Release Of Rolex Seized At Airport

The Delhi High Court has ordered the Customs Department to release the high-value Rolex watch of a NRI, citing Supreme Court's ruling in Directorate of Revenue Intelligence v. Pushpa Lekhumal Tolani (2017).In the said judgment, the top court had held that foreign tourists are allowed to bring into India jewellery even of substantial value provided it is meant to be taken out of India with them.A division bench of Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Renu Bhatnagar observed,“The Petitioner being a...

No Service Tax On Cost Allocation For Pet-Care Products Of Mars International: CESTAT Hyderabad

The Hyderabad Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has held that Mars International is not liable to service tax on cost allocations for developing pet-care products. The bench further opined that the arrangement with the group companies did not involve a service provider-service recipient relationship, and therefore, the service is not taxable. ANGAD PRASAD (Judicial Member) and A.K. JYOTISHI (Technical Member) found that the Mars...

Tobacco Transport By Individual Truck Owners Not Goods Transport Agency: CESTAT Quashes Service Tax Demand

The Hyderabad Bench of Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has set aside service tax demand on Indian Tobacco Traders under the heading Goods Transport Agency (GTA) Service, as tobacco leaves were transported through individual truck owners. In an order dated November 28, 2025 the Bench comprising Mr. A.K. Jyotishi (Technical Member) and Mr. Angad Prasad (Judicial Member) clarified that even if a person had provided Goods Transport Service but has not issued the ...