Intellectual property right service excludes deferred consideration for an outright know-how transfer without a recognised Indian right.
Intellectual Property Right Service applies only where a right is recognised as intellectual property under Indian law and is temporarily transferred or licensed. Know-how not established as a distinct recognised intellectual property right, when transferred with title, property and risk absolutely, falls outside that levy. Royalty payable over five years may constitute deferred sale consideration where it forms part of an outright transfer, even if linked to future sales, rather than consideration for a continuing licence. Customs valuation does not determine service-tax treatment. Where the underlying service-tax demand fails, related registration-based penalties, interest and penalties do not survive; bona fide legal interpretation and prior departmental correspondence may also establish reasonable cause.
Issues: (i) Whether the consideration for transfer of Know-How and other Assets was taxable as Intellectual Property Right Service under Sections 65(55a), 65(55b) and 65(105)(zzr) of the Finance Act, 1994. (ii) Whether penalties under Sections 77(1)(a), 77(2) and 78(1) of the Finance Act, 1994 were sustainable.
Issue (i): Whether the consideration for transfer of Know-How and other Assets was taxable as Intellectual Property Right Service under Sections 65(55a), 65(55b) and 65(105)(zzr) of the Finance Act, 1994.
Analysis: Intellectual Property Right Service required both a right recognised as intellectual property under a law in force in India and a temporary transfer or permission to use that right. Know-How was not shown to be a distinct intellectual property right recognised under Indian law. Further, the agreement, read as an integrated whole, transferred title, property and risk in the Assets absolutely and restrained the transferor from post-completion use or disclosure of the Know-How. The five-year royalty was expressly part of the sale consideration and constituted deferred consideration; its linkage to future sales did not convert the completed sale into a continuing licence. The customs-valuation treatment could not determine taxability under the distinct statutory scheme governing service tax.
Conclusion: The consideration was not taxable as Intellectual Property Right Service; Know-How was not a recognised intellectual property right for this levy, and the agreement effected a permanent outright transfer. The finding is in favour of the assessee.
Issue (ii): Whether penalties under Sections 77(1)(a), 77(2) and 78(1) of the Finance Act, 1994 were sustainable.
Analysis: The penalties were founded on the alleged service-tax liability and obligation to register. As the demand failed on merits, those underlying obligations did not survive. The bona fide and arguable interpretation of the law, together with prior correspondence with the Department, also constituted reasonable cause under Section 80.
Conclusion: The penalties under Sections 77(1)(a), 77(2) and 78(1) were unsustainable and liable to be waived. The finding is in favour of the assessee.
Final Conclusion: No service-tax liability arose from the outright transfer of the Assets, and the consequential interest and penalties could not subsist.
Ratio Decidendi: A transaction falls within Intellectual Property Right Service only where the right is recognised under Indian law and is temporarily transferred or licensed; deferred consideration for an absolute transfer does not alter the permanent character of that transfer.