2011 (12) TMI 652 - AT - Customs

Appeals Dismissed for Non-Compliance with Pre-Deposit Order

The appeals were dismissed as the appellants failed to comply with the pre-deposit order under Section 129E of the Customs Act. Despite claims of partial ... - Issues Involved: Non-compliance with pre-deposit order u/s 129E of the Customs Act leading to dismissal of appeals.Summary:Issue 1: Failure to comply with pre-deposit orderThe appellants were directed to pre-deposit 25% of the penalty imposed on them, totaling Rs. 22,70,000. Instead of complying, they challenged the stay order before the High Court, which was unsuccessful. The High Court granted 4 weeks for pre-deposit, starting from 16.9.2011. However, the appellants failed to comply within the given time, leading to the appeals being liable for dismissal under Section 129E of the Customs Act.Issue 2: Partial deposit madeThe appellant claimed to have made a partial deposit of 50% within the granted time and filed a miscellaneous petition seeking waiver of the balance amount. Despite presenting a challan for Rs. 11,35,000, the department noted discrepancies between the payment claimed and their records. However, since the pre-deposit order remained unfulfilled, further examination of this issue was deemed unnecessary.Issue 3: Pending writ appealIn Appeal No. C/550/09, the appellant's writ appeal against the Tribunal's stay order was pending before the High Court. The appellant requested to keep the matter on hold until receiving appropriate orders from the High Court. However, as the appellant had not complied with the Tribunal's pre-deposit direction and the writ petition was dismissed by the High Court, the request was denied.In conclusion, all appeals were dismissed due to the appellants' failure to comply with the pre-deposit requirement as mandated by Section 129E of the Customs Act.