2015 (9) TMI 1261 - SC - Customs

Court rules in favor of importer in challenge to declared price of imported goods, emphasizing burden of proof.

Commissioner of Customs (Imports), Mumbai Versus M/s. Bayer Corp Science Ltd. & Ors.

The Court dismissed the Revenue's challenge to the declared price of imported goods by the assessee, ruling in favor of the importer. It emphasized the ... Valuation - Misdeclaration of value - import of Mencozeb Technical 85 % at US$2.10 per kg., CIF - sole distributor - rejection of value - contemporaneous import - Held that:- On perusal of the transaction between M/s. R & H and the assessee, as it is clear from the reading of agreement, was at arms length. By no stretch of imagination it can be said that M/s. R&H had been controlling the assesee either directly or indirectly. In fact, there was no such allegation in the show cause notice nor any finding in this behalf in the Order-in-Original was rendered by the Commissioner. - before rejecting the invoice price the Department has to give cogent reasons for such rejection. There are no such cogent reasons coming forth in the present case. Moreover, it is to be borne in mind, as stated in para 14 of the said judgment, that the onus is on the Department by leading cogent evidence. No evidence of any nature whatsoever is brought on record to show that they were contemporaneous sales/transactions at high price. Reliance upon the agreement between M/s. Indofil and M/s. R&H is of no avail as admittedly the transaction between the aforesaid two parties were for the period prior to 01.11.1995 and they were not contemporaneous. We, thus, do not find any error in the judgment of the Tribunal - Decided against Revenue. Issues:1. Determination of transaction value for imported goods.2. Application of Customs Valuation Rules.3. Interpretation of related persons under Rule 2(2) of Customs Valuation Rules.4. Burden of proof in case of under-valuation allegations.Analysis:1. The judgment dealt with the determination of transaction value for imported goods, focusing on a case where the Revenue challenged the declared price by the assessee for a product imported under an agreement. The dispute arose from the Revenue's claim that the assessee misdeclared the price, leading to a show cause notice and subsequent appeal by the assessee before the Customs Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT).2. The Court analyzed the application of Customs Valuation Rules, particularly Rule 2(2), which defines 'related persons.' The Revenue argued that the assessee was a related person of the manufacturer based on being the sole distributor, but the Court emphasized that mere distributorship does not automatically establish relatedness. The Court highlighted the need to demonstrate specific criteria from Rule 2(2) to establish related person status.3. Regarding the interpretation of related persons under Rule 2(2), the Court found that the transaction between the manufacturer and the assessee was at arm's length, with no evidence of direct or indirect control by the manufacturer over the assessee. The Court emphasized that the Revenue failed to prove control as per the defined criteria, leading to the dismissal of the Revenue's claim.4. The judgment also discussed the burden of proof in cases of under-valuation allegations. Citing a previous judgment, the Court outlined that the Department must provide cogent reasons for rejecting the invoice price and gather evidence of contemporaneous imports at higher prices before alleging under-valuation. In the absence of such evidence, the invoice price should be accepted, and the benefit of doubt goes to the importer. The Court found no such evidence presented by the Revenue in the case at hand, supporting the Tribunal's decision and dismissing the appeal.Overall, the judgment underscored the importance of adhering to Customs Valuation Rules, establishing related person status based on specific criteria, and fulfilling the burden of proof requirements in cases of under-valuation allegations to ensure fair and accurate determination of transaction value for imported goods.