Tag: #CESTATKolkata

  • CESTAT Kolkata Rules in Favor of La Opala RG Ltd. on SHIS Duty Benefit Dispute

    CESTAT Kolkata Rules in Favor of La Opala RG Ltd. on SHIS Duty Benefit Dispute

    Date: 29.04.2025

    The Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT), Kolkata, ruled in favor of M/s. La Opala RG Ltd., quashing a duty demand of nearly Rs. 58 lakh raised by Customs for imports made under the Status Holder Incentive Scrip (SHIS) scheme.

    M/s. La Opala RG Ltd., a prominent glassware manufacturer, imported key manufacturing inputs such as Crucible Pots, Pot Rings, Abrasive Belts, PVA Wheels, Bevelling Cones, and Refractories between December 2012 and February 2015. These imports were made under 12 SHIS scrips via 14 Bills of Entry.

    Subsequently, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) issued a Show Cause Notice alleging that:

    • The imported items were not capital goods or directly related to previously imported capital goods.
    • SHIS scrips were misused to debit duty beyond the permissible 10% of the total scrip value.

    The adjudicating authority confirmed a customs duty demand of Rs. 57,94,958 with interest and equal penalty under Section 114A of the Customs Act, 1962.

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  • CESTAT Kolkata emphasized that minor administrative errors without dishonest intent should not result in penal consequences

    CESTAT Kolkata emphasized that minor administrative errors without dishonest intent should not result in penal consequences

    Date: 28.04.2025

    The Eastern Zonal Bench of the Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT), Kolkata, delivered an important ruling on 17th April 2025, dismissing an appeal filed by the Revenue against M/s. Nalini Bandhu Ray & Sons, a licensed Customs Broker.

    • M/s. Nalini Bandhu Ray & Sons filed a Bill of Entry for the importer M/s Lalwani Ferro Alloys based on instructions and documentation provided by their client.
    • Later, it emerged that the consignee name had been changed by the overseas supplier to M/s QVC International Pvt. Ltd., but this change was not communicated to the Customs Broker.
    • The Revenue alleged a violation of Regulation 10(e) of the Customs Broker Licensing Regulations, 2018 for failing to exercise due diligence.

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  • CESTAT Kolkata Rejects Customs Value Enhancement Based on NIDB Data

    CESTAT Kolkata Rejects Customs Value Enhancement Based on NIDB Data

    Date: 26.04.2025

    The Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT), Eastern Zonal Bench, Kolkata, has recently dismissed an appeal filed by the Revenue challenging the decision of the Commissioner (Appeals) to reject the enhancement of import values based on National Import Database (NIDB) data.

    M/s Radha Engineering Company imported “LED/NON-LED Christmas Lights” and “LED Strip Light/LED Rope Light,” declaring specific transaction values. Following an investigation by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), the Revenue alleged undervaluation and enhanced the declared import values based on NIDB data.

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  • CESTAT Kolkata Sets Aside Seizure of Black Pepper & Green Peas

    CESTAT Kolkata Sets Aside Seizure of Black Pepper & Green Peas

    Date: 24.04.2025

    The Customs, Excise & Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT), Kolkata Bench – Court No. 2, has allowed a batch of six appeals related to the alleged smuggling of black pepper and green peas from Nepal into India, holding that the Revenue failed to prove the foreign origin of the goods and that the seizures conducted at Muzaffarpur constituted “town seizures” without sufficient statutory backing.

    • Based on intelligence reports, officers of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) intercepted a truck and escort car at Hajipur, Bihar on 28.05.2019.
    • The truck was found carrying 6,718.5 kg of black pepper and 3,918 kg of peas.
    • The Revenue alleged these goods were smuggled from Nepal through Bhimnagar border and lacked legal documentation.

  • CESTAT Kolkata Rejected Customs attempt to apply two different transaction values

    CESTAT Kolkata Rejected Customs attempt to apply two different transaction values

    Date: 18.04.2025

    The Customs, Excise & Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT), Kolkata Bench (Court No. 2) has dismissed the Revenue’s appeal against M/s Kiran Trading Company, thereby upholding the order of the Commissioner (Port), Kolkata, which had dropped proceedings initiated under a DRI show cause notice.

    1. The Revenue appealed against the Order-in-Original dated 23.10.2018, which dropped charges of mis-declaration of value and evasion of Anti-Dumping Duty (ADD) on imports of Chinese-origin Melamine by M/s Kiran Trading Company. ​
    2. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) alleged over-invoicing to evade ADD, based on investigations and analysis of import patterns.

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