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2022 (10) TMI 318 - AT - Central ExciseClandestine Removal - documents recovered from a third party can be used against the manufacturer to prove clandestine removal - corroborative evidences or not - reliability on statements of witnesses - HELD THAT:- It is settled law that documents recovered from a third party can be used against the manufacturer to prove clandestine removal only when these are supported with corroborative evidences. The Revenue has alleged that huge quantity of finished products have been manufactured and cleared clandestinely without payment of Central Excise duty. The booking register/loading register recovered from the business premises of transporter, no doubt, gives rise to suspicion that these are details relating to clandestine clearance of the goods - the clandestine manufacture and clearance alleged against the appellant is a very serious charge which needs to be proved by Revenue by producing tangible and reliable evidences. For clandestine clearance of such huge quantities of finished products, corresponding quantity of raw materials ought to have been procured by the appellant. From the records recovered from the Appellant’s premises, there is no evidence of any physical receipt of raw materials used in production of such a huge quantity of finished goods. In fact on the date of search, no discrepancy was recorded in respect of stock of raw materials and finished goods vis-a-vis that recorded in statutory records. No single payment detail of clandestine sale has been brought on record. Nor there is any evidence of any excessive power consumption which is one of the vital factor otherwise required for the alleged large scale production. No document in the form of receipts of any cash or kind on account of clandestine clearance and sale of goods has been seized from the parties. No evidences of removal of excisable goods or procurement of raw materials and its consumption are on record. Clearly, there is also no evidence in the form of unaccounted procurement of raw materials, fuel, labour, receipts of unaccounted cash, etc. which are some of the basic parameters which have been laid down by Courts and Tribunals over a period of time for determining whether or not the allegation for clandestine removal is established. It is well settled law that though the statements carry good persuasive value but such untested statements cannot be made stand-alone basis for arriving at an adverse conclusion against the assessee. Though an admission or a statement is one of the important piece of evidence but the same has to bear the test of veracity through the tool of cross examination. Further, as per various decisions, it is well settled law that no reliance can be placed on the deponents’ statements unless he is allowed to be cross examined for testing the correctness of his statement - It is well settled law that clandestine removals cannot be arrived at based upon the confessional statement of other persons or the documents recovered from the third party premises, without corroboration of the said documents. The statements itself are not sufficient for holding so. No presumptions are available in respect of such documents unless they come from the proper custody and such documents raise serious doubts about their genuineness. Department has failed to prove the allegations against the appellant. The confirmation of duty demand along with interest and penalty against the appellant is, therefore, held to have been confirmed without any cogent basis. Order under challenge is, accordingly, hereby set aside - appeal allowed - decided in favor of appellant.
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