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2015 (11) TMI 1341 - AT - Central ExciseEvasion of duty - unaccounted manufacture - clandestine clearances of Gutka - Confiscation of goods - Held that:- Appellant has not dealt with any excisable goods inasmuch as he has neither acquired possession of any excisable goods nor he is in any way concerned in transporting, removing, keeping, depositing, concealing, selling, or in any other manner dealing with excisable goods which he knew or had reason to believe are liable for confiscation. The Appellant’s alleged activity would at the most amount to abetment of duty evasion which as discussed above is not covered by Rule 26. Therefore, the penal provisions of Rule 26 are not attracted in the case of the appellant for his alleged act of fabrication of documents to give legal cover to illicit income of M/s. Shyam Traders. Rule 27 provides for penalty up to the maximum limit of ₹ 5000/- for breach of the Central excisable goods where no other penalty is prescribed. For invoking Rule 27 there must be a breach of Central Excise Rules and in the present case, the department has not spelled out as to which the provision of Central Excise Rules has been contravened by the appellant. There was allegation of clearance of finished goods without payment of duty as well as availing CENVAT Credit fraudulently on the basis of bogus invoices procured from Registered Central Excise without physically receiving any raw material against these company and in this case, Shri Sanjay Vimal Bhai Deora was sought to be penalized under Rule 26 for being concerned in clearance of the goods without payment of duty. But in the present case, the appellant Shri V.K. Tulsian, Chartered Accountant had absolutely no role in illicit clearance of the gutka without payment of duty by M/s. Shyam Traders. - Imposing penalty of ₹ 50 lakh on the appellant is not sustainable. The same is set aside - Decided in favour of assessee.
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