Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Department couldn't allege suppression against assessee while issuing subsequent notices on same issues


Where all relevant facts were in knowledge of authorities when first show-cause notice was issued, while issuing second and third show-cause notices on similar facts, department couldn't allege suppression of facts by assessee.

a)Department carried out inspection on 16-9-1996 and issued notices on 14-3-1997 and 20-4-1998 alleging clandestine removal of goods.

b)Later, department issued third notice dated 27-3-2001 invoking extended period alleging suppression of facts.

c)Assessee challenged third notice as time-barred, as all facts were within knowledge of department since 16-9-1996.

d)Department argued that if any suppression of material facts of fraud was detected, then extended period of limitation of five years was available to the department,therefore, the entire proceedings were legal and within the time-limit prescribed by the Act as the third notice was issued within 5 years from 16-9-1996.

High Court held in favour of assessee as under:

1)Show-cause notices were issued with regard to part of transactions for different periods, but on basis of same inspection made on 16-9-1996. Once earlier show-cause notices were issued with regard to same inspection, then department could not claim having discovered suppression, fraud, etc., subsequently, as everything was within its knowledge since 16-9-1996. Hence, extended period of five years was not available to department.

2)The High Court took note of the judgment of Supreme Court in Nizam Sugar Factory v. Collector of Central Excise 2006 (197) ELT 465 in which it was held that where all relevant facts were not in the knowledge of the authorities when the first show-cause notice was issued, while issuing second and third show-cause notices to the assessee on similar facts,it could not be taken as suppression of facts on the part of the assessee as the facts were already within the knowledge of the authorities – Commissioner of Central Excise & Customs v. Rivaa Textiles Inds. Ltd.(2015) 54 taxmann.com 239 (Gujarat).