2024 (4) TMI 698 - AT - Customs

Tribunal Overturns Gold Confiscation: No Evidence of Foreign Origin or Smuggling, Appeals Allowed, No Penalties Imposed.

Shri Ravindra Soni and Shri Laxman Soni Versus Commissioner of Customs (Preventive), Kolkata

The Tribunal determined that the gold in question was a town-seizure, as it lacked foreign markings and exhibited high purity. The Revenue failed to ... Town Seizure - Absolute confiscation of gold - imposition of penalties on the firm as well as on the appellants - onus to prove u/s 123 of CA - HELD THAT:- It is found that it is a case of town-seizure. Moreover, the gold bars recovered were having no markings and having purity of 99.96%. In that circumstances, the Revenue has failed to discharge their onus how they form an opinion that they have a reasonable belief that the gold is of foreign origin and smuggled one. Moreover, the appellants have been able to prove by producing various documentary evidences, like, their Books of Accounts and certification from M/s G.N.H. & R [P] Ltd., Kolkata and the appellants have also produced certain “Hall Marking” issued by them from time to time. In that circumstances, the appellants were able to discharge their onus of procurement of gold through licit means in terms of Section 123 of the Customs Act, 1962. The gold in question cannot be held liable to be confiscated. Consequently, the order for confiscation of gold in question is set aside and as the gold in question is not liable for confiscation, therefore, no penalties can be imposed on the appellants. The impugned order set aside - appeal allowed. ISSUES PRESENTED AND CONSIDERED 1. Whether the gold recovered in a town-seizure, unmarked and of high purity, was liable to absolute confiscation under the Customs Act on the basis of the Revenue's belief that it was of foreign origin and smuggled. 2. Whether the Revenue discharged the onus to form a reasonable belief that the seized gold was of foreign origin or smuggled, where no foreign markings were found and testing showed high purity. 3. Whether the appellants discharged their statutory onus under Section 123 of the Customs Act by producing books, refinery certifications and hall-marking records to show procurement by licit means. 4. Whether penalties imposed on the firm and individuals survive once confiscation is set aside. ISSUE-WISE DETAILED ANALYSIS Issue 1 - Confiscation liability of unmarked, high-purity gold recovered in a town-seizure Legal framework: Confiscation under the Customs Act requires that seized goods be shown to be liable to confiscation (e.g., smuggled or of prohibited/unauthorised origin) and the Revenue must have reasonable grounds to believe the goods are smuggled; town-seizure principles apply where seizure is made in a locality rather than at a port of entry. Precedent Treatment: No specific precedents were invoked or treated in the judgment; the Tribunal applied statutory principles to the facts. Interpretation and reasoning: The Tribunal treated the seizure as a town-seizure and emphasized that the recovered gold bore no foreign marking and laboratory testing showed purity of 99.95-99.96%. On these facts, the Tribunal found the Revenue had not demonstrated objective grounds to conclude the gold was of foreign origin or smuggled. The absence of marking and the high purity were held insufficient, without further evidence, to justify absolute confiscation. Ratio vs. Obiter: Ratio - where goods seized in a town-seizure lack foreign marking and the Revenue cannot establish objective indicators of smuggling, confiscation cannot be sustained. Conclusion: Confiscation of the gold was not sustainable and the order of absolute confiscation was set aside. Issue 2 - Whether the Revenue discharged the onus to form a reasonable belief of smuggling/foreign origin Legal framework: The Revenue bears the initial burden to demonstrate reasonable belief/grounds that seized goods are smuggled or of foreign origin sufficient to justify seizure and confiscation; in town-seizure cases, particular care is required to show such reasonable belief. Precedent Treatment: No cases were cited; the Tribunal applied the statutory allocation of onus and evidentiary standard. Interpretation and reasoning: The Tribunal found the Revenue failed to explain how it formed a reasonable belief that the gold was smuggled, given (a) lack of foreign markings on the bars, (b) testing showing near-pure gold, and (c) absence of incriminating material at the appellant's premises. The Tribunal held that mere suspicion without corroborative evidence or marking does not meet the requisite onus. Ratio vs. Obiter: Ratio - Revenue must provide positive material or reasoning to sustain a reasonable belief of smuggling; lack of such material defeats confiscation. Conclusion: The Revenue did not discharge its onus; seizure/confiscation could not be justified on the material before the adjudicating authority. Issue 3 - Whether appellants discharged onus under Section 123 by producing books, refinery certifications and hall marks Legal framework: Section 123 (customs evidentiary regime referenced in the judgment) and related principles require an accused/owner to show lawful procurement when challenging confiscation; production of trade records, refinery certifications and hall-marking can demonstrate licit origin. Precedent Treatment: No judicial precedents were cited; statutory evidentiary norms were applied to the documentary proof produced. Interpretation and reasoning: The Tribunal accepted that the appellants maintained books of account, produced records of sending old jewellery to a recognised refiner (certification from the refiner), paid service tax/charges and produced hall-marking certificates. On this evidence the appellants discharged their onus to show procurement by licit means. The Tribunal explicitly cross-referenced the Revenue's failure to rebut this documentary proof (see Issues 1-2) when reaching its conclusion. Ratio vs. Obiter: Ratio - where an owner produces credible documentary proof of lawful procurement and refinement, and the Revenue fails to rebut with material showing smuggling or foreign origin, the owner's onus is satisfied and confiscation should be refused. Conclusion: The appellants discharged their onus under Section 123; their production of books, refinery certifications and hall-markings rebutted the presumption of illicit origin. Issue 4 - Consequence for penalties when confiscation is set aside Legal framework: Penalties imposed under the Customs Act are contingent upon findings of illegal importation/smuggling or other offences that justify confiscation; if confiscation is not sustained, penalties based solely on that confiscation generally cannot be upheld. Precedent Treatment: No separate authority cited; the Tribunal applied the logical and statutory connection between confiscation and penal consequences. Interpretation and reasoning: The Tribunal reasoned that penalties imposed on the firm and individuals were predicated on the finding of absolute confiscation. Once confiscation was set aside for lack of proof of smuggling/foreign origin, there remained no basis for imposing the penalties that were equivalent to the value of the gold. Ratio vs. Obiter: Ratio - penalties founded on a confiscation finding fall away when confiscation is invalidated for lack of evidence of smuggling or illicit origin. Conclusion: Penalties imposed on the firm and individuals were set aside concomitantly with the order of confiscation being quashed. CROSS-REFERENCES AND CONCLUDING POINTS 1. Issues 1-3 are interdependent: the failure of the Revenue to discharge its onus (Issue 2) and the appellants' successful production of documentary proof (Issue 3) together determine the outcome on confiscation (Issue 1). 2. Issue 4 follows as a legal consequence of Issues 1-3: penalties tied to an unsustainable confiscation cannot survive. 3. The Court's determinations are dispositive (ratio) on the above issues given the factual findings: town-seizure, absence of foreign marking, high purity results, documentary refinery and hall-mark evidence, and no rebuttal by the Revenue.