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2018 (9) TMI 1003 - AT - CustomsBenefit of DEEC license - non-fulfillment of export obligation - violation of conditions of Notification No. 93/2004 dated 10.09.2004 (as amended) - Held that - It is an admitted position that the said application is still pending before the licensing authority. It is also not the case of the Revenue that the statement of the appellant that its export obligation got subsumed in the export obligation of the EOU, was wrong nor have they examined the case of the appellant from this angle. When a claim is made by the assessee, the same has been thrown out without examining the claim of the assessee and without finding that such claim/s is/are wrong or illegal. The impugned order cannot sustain - matter remanded back to the file of the adjudicating authority to pass order afresh - The appeal is allowed for statistical purposes, by way of remand.
Issues:
1. Allegation of importing goods without payment of duty under DEEC license. 2. Failure to furnish evidence of fulfilling export obligation. 3. Confiscation of goods, imposition of redemption fine, and demand for duty and penalty. 4. Claim of subsuming export obligation under EOU. 5. Dispute over the pending application for Export Obligation Discharge Certificate (EODC). 6. Comparison with relevant case laws and arguments. 7. Decision to set aside the impugned order and remand the matter for fresh adjudication. Issue 1: Allegation of importing goods without payment of duty under DEEC license The appellant was accused of importing goods without paying duty under a DEEC license, leading to a show-cause notice and subsequent Order-in-Original. The appellant contended that they had fulfilled obligations under Notification No. 93/2004 and converted their DTA unit into an EOU. The authorities demanded duty and interest due to the alleged failure to provide evidence of fulfilling export obligations. Issue 2: Failure to furnish evidence of fulfilling export obligation The appellant failed to produce the Export Obligation Discharge Certificate (EODC) to prove the discharge of export obligations, despite executing a bond to pay duty exempted along with interest if obligations were not met. The Revenue argued that the duty was rightfully demanded due to the absence of EODC even after a significant period. Issue 3: Confiscation of goods, imposition of redemption fine, and demand for duty and penalty The authorities ordered confiscation of goods, imposed redemption fines, and demanded duty and penalties under the Customs Act. The appellant challenged these actions, citing pending adjudication of their application and the subsuming of obligations under EOU. Issue 4: Claim of subsuming export obligation under EOU The appellant claimed that their export obligation under the Advance License was subsumed in the EOU's export obligation. The Revenue did not refute this claim or reject the pending application, leading to the conclusion that the claim remained unexamined. Issue 5: Dispute over the pending application for Export Obligation Discharge Certificate (EODC) The unresolved status of the application for EODC remained a point of contention, with the appellant emphasizing the delay in processing and the lack of evidence suggesting any deliberate attempt to evade obligations. Issue 6: Comparison with relevant case laws and arguments The appellant referenced legal precedents, including the Bombay High Court's decision in a similar case, to support their argument that coercive actions should not be taken without considering the efforts made to fulfill obligations and the pending regularization requests. Issue 7: Decision to set aside the impugned order and remand the matter for fresh adjudication The Tribunal set aside the previous order, remanding the case to the adjudicating authority for a fresh decision. The appellant was directed to expedite their request processing, emphasizing the need for a thorough examination of the claim regarding the subsumed export obligations. This detailed analysis covers the various issues raised in the legal judgment, highlighting the arguments, counterarguments, and the final decision made by the Tribunal.
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