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2011 (7) TMI 581 - HC - Income TaxExpenses on settlement/agreement - disallowance as the settlement was on account of any infringement of any law - Held that:- The paramount and governing consideration behind such a settlement/ agreement can be to avoid the expenses and uncertainty of further litigation. It is a matter of common knowledge that litigation can turn out to be quite expensive and it cannot be even possible, what to talk of feasible, for a small time/middle level company in India like the assessee to litigate in US Court. Furthermore, the settlement agreement contains a specific recital to this effect inasmuch as it records "whereas, in order to avoid the expenses or uncertainty or further litigation, the parties desired to settle and adjust all differences and controversies among themselves subject to the terms of this Agreement." No doubt in the Agreement, the assessee accepted the patent of SEMCO. That by itself would not mean that the assessee also accepted that it was infringing the said patent. Secondly, payment is made by the assessee to SEMCO for "loss of goodwill and damages to its capital and for terminating of case US Courts" as is clearly mentioned in clause (3) of the Agreement. No finding is given by any Court that the assessee had violated the patent right of SEMCO. The Agreement is applicable within the area defined as "territory". This territory mentions some specific countries in Europe as well as Japan, Australia and Korea. There is no mention of 'India' at all. That clearly implies that SEMCO has no objection if the assessee continues to manufacture the goods in the same manner using same patent which it has been using and marketing it in India or any other countries, which are not stipulated in the 'territory' with respect to which only restraint is provided in the agreement - in favour of assessee.
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