Failure To File Declaration May Be Considered As Technical Irregularity If Customs Authorities Failed To Notice It: CESTAT

The Mumbai Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has stated that failure to file declaration may be considered as a technical irregularity if customs authorities failed to notice it. “There is no doubt that the declaration had to be made and, the deployment of 'abundant caution' in the instructions notwithstanding, it would appear that the said declaration was of not of insignificance in the procedure prescribed under Customs, Central Excise Duties and...

Customs Broker Cannot Be Faulted For Trusting Government-Issued Certificates: CESTAT

The New Delhi Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has stated that when a government officer issues a certificate or registration with an address to an exporter, the Customs Broker cannot be faulted for trusting the certificates so issued. The Tribunal opined that “If there are documents issued by the Government Officers which show that the client is functioning at the address, it would be reasonable for the Customs Broker to presume that the officer is...

FOB Value Of Goods Can't Be Modified By Anyone Including Any Customs Officer: CESTAT

The New Delhi Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has stated that no stranger to the contract, including any Customs officer has any right to interfere with the Free on Board (FOB) value of the goods. The Bench of Justice Dilip Gupta (President) and P.V. Subba Rao (Technical Member) has stated that “there is a privity of contract between the buyer and the seller and they alone can decide the terms of contract and in case of non-compliance by one, the...

Customs Broker Not Responsible If Client Moves To New Premises After Verification Of Address Is Complete: CESTAT

The New Delhi Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has stated that customs broker not responsible if client moves to new premises once verification of address is complete. “The responsibility of the Customs Broker under Regulation 10(n) does not include keeping a continuous surveillance on the client to ensure that he continues to operate from that address and has not changed his operations. Therefore, once verification of the address is complete, if...

Customs Authorities Can't Deny Benefit Of Customs Duty Exemption Under Notifications Governing Advance Licensing Scheme: CESTAT

The New Delhi Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has stated that the Customs authorities cannot deny the benefit of Customs duty exemption under the notifications governing the Advance Licensing Scheme. The Bench of Dr. Rachna Gupta (Judicial Member) and Hemambika R. Priya (Technical Member) was addressing the issue of whether the goods imported by the assessee under AAs are permitted for duty free import under Advance Authorization Scheme. In ...

Communication Modules Are Imported Independently, Not As Part Of Communication Hubs Or Smart Meters: CESTAT Quashes Customs Duty

The New Delhi Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has stated that imported communication modules function independently as parts of communication hubs, classifiable under CTI 8517 70 90. The Bench of Binu Tamta (Judicial Member) and P.V. Subba Rao (Technical Member) have observed that “since the communication modules were imported, they should be classified as such. The correct classification of the communication modules is CTI 8517 70 90.”“Since...

Goods Loaded Without Proper Documents Can't Be Exported Without Clearance By Customs Officials: CESTAT Kolkata Sets Aside Penalty

Stating that goods wrongly loaded by the steamer agent could not have been exported without clearance by the Customs officials themselves, the Customs, Excise & Service Tax Appellate Tribunal at Kolkata set aside the penalty imposed under Section 114 of the Customs Act, 1962. The provision stipulates a penalty for attempting to export goods improperly. The Appellant, a steamer agent, was saddled with Rs. 2 lakh penalty for exporting goods without Let Export Order (LEO). Noting...

Payments Made During Investigation Without SCN Do Not Constitute Payments Against Demand: CESTAT

The New Delhi Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has stated that the payment made by the assessee during an investigation, without any Show Cause Notice, cannot be considered as payment against a demand raised by the Department without even going into the merits of the nature of demand. The Bench of Dr. Rachna Gupta (Judicial Member) has observed that “any amount received during investigation is Revenue Deposit hence cannot be retained for want of...

No Evidence Of Over-Valuation Of Goods; Transaction Value Wrongly Rejected Under Rule 8 of Customs Valuation Rules: CESTAT

The New Delhi Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has stated that there is no evidence of over-valuation of Goods and the transaction value has been wrongly rejected under Rule 8 of Customs Valuation Rules. Section 113 of the Customs Act, 1952 provides the list of goods that are liable to be confiscation if they are attempted to be improperly exported. Section 113 (a) of the Customs Act, 1952 provides that the goods are liable for confiscation if...

EPS-ECU Meant Solely For Use In Automobiles With Power Steering: CESTAT Delhi Classifies Same Under CTI 8708 94 00

While finding that the EPS-ECU is meant solely for use in automobiles with power steering, the CESTAT New Delhi held that EPS-ECU, which is essentially a part of an automobile specifically designed to be a part of power steering and which has no other function, cannot be classified in the general residual entry of electrical machines and equipment. Hence, the CESTAT classified the EPS-ECU and its sub-assembly under CTI 8708 94 00. The Tribunal held so while deciding about the...

Attempt To Export SCOMET Item Without Authorization Is Serious Violation; CESTAT Upholds Penalty Against Customs Broker

The Delhi Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has held that an attempt to export specialized chemicals, organisms, machinery, equipment, and technology (SCOMET) items without the required authorization is a serious violation.The bench of Justice Dilip Gupta (President) and P. V. Subba Rao (Technical Member) has observed that there is no evidence of the appellant/customs broker profiting from the attempted export of triethanolamine. Action has been taken against...

Samsung India Entitled To Customs Duty Exemption On Imported IC-Codecs: CESTAT

The Delhi Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has held that Samsung India is entitled to customs duty exemption on imported IC-Codecs.The bench of Justice Dilip Gupta (President) and P. V. Subba Rao (Technical Member) has observed that HSN Explanatory Notes to CTH 8542 provide that monolithic ICs may be in the form of un-diced wafers. The IC-Codecs, as imported by the appellant, are in the form of rolls, i.e., un-diced wafers. It, therefore, clearly follows that...