Tribunal affirms decision on duty & penalty for returned goods with defects.

COMMISSIONER OF CENTRAL EXCISE, INDORE Versus GODREJ SOAPS LTD.

COMMISSIONER OF CENTRAL EXCISE, INDORE Versus GODREJ SOAPS LTD. - 2005 (186) E.L.T. 200 (Tri. - Del.) Issues:
Dispute over duty and penalty on returned goods for quality defects; Whether reprocessing amounts to fresh manufacture; Application of Modvat credit on inputs used in manufacturing toilet soaps.

Analysis:
The case involves an appeal where the Revenue challenges an order-in-appeal that set aside duty and penalty imposed on the respondents for returned goods with quality defects. The respondents, engaged in manufacturing toilet soaps, availed Modvat credit on inputs. The dispute arose when the Revenue sought duty on goods returned by buyers and cleared after reprocessing, claiming it as fresh manufacture. However, the respondents argued that reprocessing did not constitute manufacturing the goods.

Upon review, the Tribunal found the Revenue's plea for duty demand on the same goods unacceptable. The duty was initially paid by the respondents upon the first clearance of the soap. Goods were returned due to defects, and the process undertaken by the respondents to rectify these defects was explained to the authorities. The Tribunal noted that the process on the returned goods did not amount to manufacturing fresh soap, aligning with a precedent set in a previous case. The Commissioner (Appeals) correctly applied this legal precedent, as there was no contrary evidence presented by the Revenue. Consequently, the duty demand against the respondents was dropped, and the impugned order was upheld, leading to the dismissal of the Revenue's appeal.