Issues: Whether the writ challenge to an Order-in-Original should be entertained notwithstanding the statutory appellate remedy.

Analysis: Section 107 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 provides a statutory appeal against the Order-in-Original. The objection under Section 6(2)(b) requires examination of disputed facts concerning the nature, factual foundation, transactions and overlap, if any, between the State GST and DGGI proceedings. Such jurisdictional objection, along with the challenge to the demand and evidentiary findings, can be examined by the appellate authority.

Conclusion: The petitioner must pursue the statutory appellate remedy; the objection under Section 6(2)(b) of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 and all merits issues are left open for determination by the appellate authority.

Issues: (i) Whether writ jurisdiction should be exercised against an Order-in-Original despite the statutory appeal under Section 107 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017; (ii) Whether proceedings initiated under Section 74 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 were barred by Section 6(2)(b) of that Act owing to earlier State GST proceedings; and (iii) Whether a consolidated show cause notice under Section 74 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 covering multiple financial years was without jurisdiction.

Issue (i): Whether writ jurisdiction should be exercised against an Order-in-Original despite the statutory appeal under Section 107 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017.

Analysis: An adjudicated demand is appealable under Section 107. Issues concerning the evidentiary basis of the demand, alleged fraudulent input tax credit, suppliers, and the claimed overlap of State and Central proceedings require factual assessment appropriately undertaken in the statutory appeal. The requirement of pre-deposit does not, by itself, justify bypassing that remedy, and no patent jurisdictional infirmity was established.

Conclusion: Writ jurisdiction was not liable to be exercised; the issue was decided against the assessee.

Issue (ii): Whether proceedings initiated under Section 74 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 were barred by Section 6(2)(b) of that Act owing to earlier State GST proceedings.

Analysis: Section 6(2)(b) bars parallel proceedings only on the same subject matter, namely an identical or overlapping tax liability, deficiency, or obligation arising from the same contravention. The applicable inquiry is whether the proceedings concern identical liability or alleged offence on the same facts and seek identical demand or relief. The State proceedings under Section 73 of the Delhi Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 concerned ineligible input tax credit, whereas the Central proceedings arose from allegations of fraudulent invoices issued by fictitious or non-existent entities, utilisation of credit for export-related integrated tax liability, and refund claims. Overlap in period, transactions, or input tax credit claims was insufficient by itself.

Conclusion: Section 6(2)(b) did not bar the Central proceedings merely because the proceedings overlapped in respect of input tax credit; the issue was decided against the assessee.

Issue (iii): Whether a consolidated show cause notice under Section 74 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 covering multiple financial years was without jurisdiction.

Analysis: Sections 73(3), 73(10), 74(3), and 74(10) of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 do not prohibit a consolidated notice under Section 74 merely because it covers more than one financial year. Questions of limitation, satisfaction of the ingredients for invoking Section 74, and period-wise quantification remain available for statutory appellate examination.

Conclusion: A consolidated show cause notice covering multiple financial years was not inherently without jurisdiction; the issue was decided against the assessee.

Final Conclusion: The challenge to the adjudicated demand must be pursued through the statutory appellate mechanism, where all permissible grounds remain open for determination independently on merits.

Ratio Decidendi: A writ challenge to a GST adjudication ordinarily will not be entertained where an efficacious statutory appeal is available and no patent jurisdictional infirmity is established.

Issues: (i) Whether exclusion of a substantial shareholder from management and the financial benefits of a quasi-partnership company constituted oppression under Sections 241 and 242 of the Companies Act, 2013; (ii) Whether the shareholder's disengagement from the company, competing business and alleged absence from board meetings disqualified him as a director or defeated the oppression petition; (iii) Whether an inter se Swiss Challenge bidding process for the shareholding could be ordered despite the pre-emptive rights under the articles of association.

Issue (i): Whether exclusion of a substantial shareholder from management and the financial benefits of a quasi-partnership company constituted oppression under Sections 241 and 242 of the Companies Act, 2013.

Analysis: The company was a closely held family concern operating as a quasi-partnership. The shareholder respondents, who collectively held over 40% and included a founder, were excluded from management and deprived of remuneration and benefits through which company profits had historically been distributed. Important financial decisions were taken without their participation. Their exclusion occurred without due process or justification and frustrated their legitimate expectation to participate in management and share in the company's financial benefits.

Conclusion: The conduct amounted to oppression under Sections 241 and 242 of the Companies Act, 2013, in favour of the shareholder respondents.

Issue (ii): Whether the shareholder's disengagement from the company, competing business and alleged absence from board meetings disqualified him as a director or defeated the oppression petition.

Analysis: The settlement contemplated the shareholder's exit on payment of the agreed consideration and expressly allowed competing business, subject only to non-use of company data. The agreed consideration was not fully paid. No evidence established misuse of confidential data or solicitation of employees. Further, the appellants did not prove service of notices for board meetings or minutes upon the shareholder; therefore, absence from meetings could not result in vacation of office under Section 167(1)(b) of the Companies Act, 2013. The company's filings also continued to show him as a director.

Conclusion: The shareholder was not shown to have incurred disqualification or committed conduct defeating the oppression petition, in favour of the shareholder respondents.

Issue (iii): Whether an inter se Swiss Challenge bidding process for the shareholding could be ordered despite the pre-emptive rights under the articles of association.

Analysis: Section 242(2)(b) of the Companies Act, 2013 authorises an order for purchase of a member's shares by other members or the company. The earlier settlement for purchase of the respondent shareholder's shares, followed by his reciprocal offer to purchase the appellants' shares, substantially met the purpose of the pre-emptive provisions. As both factions were willing and capable of purchasing the other's shares, and mutual trust had irretrievably broken down, supervised inter se bidding through the Swiss Challenge Method was an appropriate, transparent and non-arbitrary exit mechanism.

Conclusion: The inter se Swiss Challenge bidding process was validly directed and the challenge to it failed, in favour of the shareholder respondents.

Final Conclusion: The equitable exit mechanism under Section 242(2)(b) of the Companies Act, 2013 appropriately resolves the established oppression and irreconcilable breakdown within the quasi-partnership company.

Ratio Decidendi: Where oppression in a closely held quasi-partnership company is accompanied by an irretrievable breakdown of trust and both shareholder groups are willing to acquire the other's interest, Section 242(2)(b) permits a supervised Swiss Challenge process to determine a fair exit arrangement.

Issues: Whether the petitioner was entitled to anticipatory bail in an investigation alleging fraudulent availment of input tax credit.

Analysis: The gravity and magnitude of an alleged economic offence, including a cognizable and non-bailable offence under the GST enactments, are relevant but do not by themselves establish the necessity of arrest. The statutory power of arrest requires recorded reasons to believe and must be distinguished from the actual investigative necessity for custodial interrogation. That necessity is to be assessed with reference to the accused's individual role, cooperation, availability of documentary and electronic evidence, risk of abscondence or tampering, and whether investigation can proceed through measures short of custody. Parity with a similarly placed co-accused is relevant but not conclusive. Here, searches had already resulted in seizure of material, the investigation substantially concerned documentary and electronic evidence, the petitioner asserted continued cooperation, and the co-accused had been released on bail. Protective conditions could adequately preserve the investigation and address risks of non-cooperation or interference.

Conclusion: The petitioner was entitled to anticipatory bail subject to conditions securing continued cooperation with the investigation and protecting the prosecution's interests.

Issues: (i) Whether an additional disallowance under section 14A read with Rule 8D could be made without examining the assessee's suo motu disallowance and recording dissatisfaction with it; (ii) Whether expenditure attributable to qualifying royalty income under section 115BBF(2) could be determined by applying the ratio of total royalty receipts to gross expenditure.

Issue (i): Whether an additional disallowance under section 14A read with Rule 8D could be made without examining the assessee's suo motu disallowance and recording dissatisfaction with it.

Analysis: Section 14A(2) permits recourse to the prescribed method only after the Assessing Officer examines the assessee's actual claim with reference to its accounts and records dissatisfaction as to its correctness. The assessee had already made a disallowance relating to exempt income, but the assessment proceeded on the incorrect premise that no disallowance had been made. The recorded observations addressed a nil claim and did not evaluate the actual disallowance. The further amount computed under Rule 8D was also lower than the amount already disallowed by the assessee.

Conclusion: The additional disallowance under Rule 8D, including the corresponding book-profit adjustment, is deleted in favour of the assessee; the disallowance voluntarily made by the assessee remains undisturbed.

Issue (ii): Whether expenditure attributable to qualifying royalty income under section 115BBF(2) could be determined by applying the ratio of total royalty receipts to gross expenditure.

Analysis: Section 115BBF(2) prevents expenditure having a nexus with qualifying royalty income from reducing other business income. It does not permit an indiscriminate apportionment of every profit-and-loss account expense merely by reference to gross receipts. The royalty included receipts not offered under the special provision, while the allocation base potentially included expenditure already disallowed and expenses exclusively connected with manufacturing and trading. The additional evidence concerning patent-wise royalty and expenditure required verification from the books and supporting records and was admitted under Rule 29.

Conclusion: In favour of the assessee to the extent of fresh verification, the quantum of expenditure attributable to qualifying royalty income is restored for a fact-specific recomputation; no final determination on the amount of disallowance is made.

Final Conclusion: The additional section 14A amount cannot be sustained, while attribution of expenditure to royalty income must be determined through a verified nexus-based exercise rather than gross-receipts apportionment.

Issues: (i) Whether the arbitrators were disqualified on account of prior service in a related maritime arbitration and inadequate disclosure; (ii) Whether Clause 62 of the Contract of Affreightment permitted unilateral termination for non-issuance of shipment nominations; (iii) Whether the award of damages and interest was sustainable.

Issue (i): Whether the arbitrators were disqualified on account of prior service in a related maritime arbitration and inadequate disclosure.

Analysis: The award arose from an international commercial arbitration, for which review under Section 34 is confined to the limited public-policy grounds; patent illegality is unavailable. Section 12 and Item 24 of the Fifth Schedule identify circumstances capable of giving rise to justifiable doubts as to independence or impartiality, while Explanation 3 recognises that maritime arbitrations may draw from a small pool of specialised arbitrators. The applicable maritime rules and Section 13 required a challenge within fifteen days. The appellant had knowledge of the arbitrators' participation in the related arbitration but did not raise its challenge within the prescribed period, resulting in waiver. Prior adjudication of a similar contractual issue, without material showing a closed mind, partiality, or lack of objective judgment, did not establish disqualification.

Conclusion: The arbitrators were not disqualified, and the award was not vitiated by conflict of interest or any deficiency in disclosure.

Issue (ii): Whether Clause 62 of the Contract of Affreightment permitted unilateral termination for non-issuance of shipment nominations.

Analysis: Clause 62 was required to be read with the agreement as a whole and alongside the force-majeure mechanism in Clause 61. The clause addressed a supplier's failure or inability to supply cargo, resulting in frustration of performance; it did not authorise termination because of the charterer's own failure to issue shipment nominations. The force-majeure provision was not invoked. The proposed construction would permit a party to benefit from its own breach and would undermine the binding shipment obligations under the contract.

Conclusion: Clause 62 did not permit unilateral termination for the appellant's own non-performance, and the termination was unjustified.

Issue (iii): Whether the award of damages and interest was sustainable.

Analysis: The damages calculation adopted the difference between the contractual freight rate and the relevant spot rate, applied to the affected tonnage, after notice of mitigation. This was a rational measure of contractual loss. The assessment did not violate the restricted public-policy standard applicable to review of an international commercial arbitral award, and the interest award was also within the arbitral determination.

Conclusion: The award of damages and interest was sustained.

Final Conclusion: The limited public-policy review furnished no basis to disturb the arbitral determination on liability, compensation, or interest.

Ratio Decidendi: Prior service by arbitrators in a related specialised arbitration does not, without material establishing a real likelihood of closed-mindedness or partiality, create justifiable doubts as to their independence or impartiality; an objection to their appointment must also be raised within the prescribed period.

Issues: Whether adjustment or recovery of an outstanding tax demand pending a first appeal could be challenged, and refund of the amount recovered claimed, where no stay application had been filed.

Analysis: Section 245 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 and the CBDT Office Memorandum dated 29.02.2016 contemplate a stay of demand only upon a request for such stay. Mere filing of an appeal does not suspend recovery, and a stay petition, when filed, is required to be decided within two weeks. No stay petition had been filed before the recovery was effected.

Conclusion: The recovery already effected was valid and no refund of the amount recovered was warranted. No further recovery shall be made until disposal of the first appeal.

Issues: Whether a cheque drawn on an account with a bank that subsequently merged with another bank becomes invalid, thereby warranting quashing of proceedings for dishonour under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act.

Analysis: A bank merger transfers the merged bank's assets, liabilities, and customer accounts to the successor bank. Consequently, the account on which the cheque was drawn does not vanish merely because the original bank ceases to exist. An endorsement stating that there was no such bank could not, by itself, render the cheque invalid where the successor bank had taken over the account. The allegation that the cheque was misplaced and the circumstances concerning closure of the account are matters requiring proof in trial.

Conclusion: A cheque does not become invalid solely because the drawee bank has merged into a successor bank; such merger does not preclude proceedings under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act.

Issues: Whether the penalty order in Form GST MOV-09 could be sustained without determining whether the e-way bill accompanying the vehicle was fabricated or was genuine but omitted the vehicle number due to a technical glitch.

Analysis: The e-way bill produced showed a generation time of 11:34 a.m., rendering the explanation for non-reflection of the vehicle number implausible. However, the system-generated e-way bill without the vehicle number required verification to ascertain whether it was fabricated or was a genuine bill affected by a technical glitch.

Conclusion: The impugned penalty order could not be sustained pending verification of the authenticity and validity of the e-way bill, requiring fresh determination by the proper officer.

Issues: (i) Whether the assessment order and DRC-7 could confirm a demand beyond the scope of the show cause notice and without accounting for tax already paid; (ii) Whether cancellation of GST registration for discontinuance of business could be refused solely because of an outstanding tax demand.

Issue (i): Whether the assessment order and DRC-7 could confirm a demand beyond the scope of the show cause notice and without accounting for tax already paid.

Analysis: The detailed assessment order and DRC-7 travelled beyond the tax proposal in the show cause notice. Although the detailed order recorded payment of Rs. 47,57,105 through belated GSTR-3B returns and appropriated it towards the demand, the DRC-7 did not account for that payment and confirmed the entire demand. A tax determination must remain within the scope of the show cause notice.

Conclusion: In favour of the assessee, the assessment order was set aside for fresh adjudication after issuance of a fresh show cause notice, conditional on payment of 50% of the tax demand proposed in the original notice.

Issue (ii): Whether cancellation of GST registration for discontinuance of business could be refused solely because of an outstanding tax demand.

Analysis: Discontinuance of business is an express ground for cancellation under Section 29(1)(a) of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017. Section 29(3) preserves the statutory power to recover outstanding amounts even after cancellation; therefore, an outstanding demand does not by itself justify rejecting an application for cancellation.

Conclusion: In favour of the assessee, the rejection of the cancellation application was set aside and the application was directed to be reconsidered in accordance with law.

Final Conclusion: Fresh tax proceedings must be founded on a proper notice and account for payments already made, while cancellation of registration must be assessed independently of the continuing statutory recovery mechanism.

Issues: Whether an adjudication imposing tax, interest and penalty under the GST law can be made without granting a personal hearing merely because the assessee did not opt for one.

Analysis: Section 75(4) mandates an opportunity of hearing where a written request is made or where an adverse decision is contemplated. The requirement applies independently when the proposed adjudication is adverse and is not displaced by the absence of a request for personal hearing.

Conclusion: An adverse adjudication under Section 74 imposing tax, interest and penalty without affording an opportunity of hearing is invalid, notwithstanding that the assessee did not opt for a personal hearing.

Issues: Whether the rejection of the application for stay of disputed tax demand pending appeal warranted interference and an unconditional stay.

Analysis: Section 220(6) of the Income-tax Act, 1961 permits consideration of a stay of demand during the pendency of an appeal. The impugned order did not address the material grounds bearing on the petitioner's challenge, including the limitation applicable to the reassessment notice. A prima facie case on limitation existed, although that question remained for final determination in the appellate proceedings. The assessment was also high-pitched, the addition being nearly five times the returned income, and the inference of financial soundness from turnover did not properly reflect the petitioner's income.

Conclusion: The petitioner was entitled to an unconditional stay of the entire disputed demand pending disposal of its appeal.

Issues: (i) Whether a declaration in the return can override Form No. 10-IEA already filed to opt out of the new tax regime; (ii) Whether the section 143(1) adjustment was invalid for want of prior intimation; and (iii) Whether deductions under the old tax regime must be considered when the CPC applies that regime.

Issue (i): Whether a declaration in the return can override Form No. 10-IEA already filed to opt out of the new tax regime.

Analysis: Section 115BAC requires the statutory option concerning the tax regime to be exercised through the prescribed Form No. 10-IEA. The assessee had filed that form opting out of the new regime, whereas the subsequently filed return contained a conflicting selection. A contrary entry in the return could not replace or reverse the option exercised through the prescribed form.

Conclusion: Form No. 10-IEA governed the tax-regime option, and the conflicting return declaration was ineffective. The issue is against the assessee.

Issue (ii): Whether the section 143(1) adjustment was invalid for want of prior intimation.

Analysis: The assessee did not produce material from the income-tax portal or otherwise establish non-receipt of the prior intimation. The decision concerning an admitted failure to issue notice or proposed adjustment was factually distinguishable.

Conclusion: The challenge to the section 143(1) adjustment for alleged absence of prior intimation fails. The issue is against the assessee.

Issue (iii): Whether deductions under the old tax regime must be considered when the CPC applies that regime.

Analysis: Having treated the assessee as opted out of the new regime and subjected income to the old regime, the corresponding deductions available under that regime required consideration. The matter required limited verification of the eligible deductions.

Conclusion: Deductions eligible under the old tax regime must be considered where that regime is applied. The issue is in favour of the assessee.

Final Conclusion: The assessment is restored for limited consideration of deductions eligible under the old tax regime.

Ratio Decidendi: Where a statutory tax-regime option is required to be exercised through a prescribed form, a conflicting declaration in the return cannot supersede that form.

Issues: Whether the Tribunal's exclusion of certain comparable companies for determining the arm's length price was contrary to Rule 10B or vitiated by perversity.

Analysis: Chapter X of the Income-tax Act, 1961 provides the statutory framework for transfer-pricing determination. Selection or exclusion of comparables is a factual, data-driven exercise that must conform to Rule 10B of the Income-tax Rules. Findings on comparability ordinarily do not warrant interference unless shown to be contrary to law or perverse. The Tribunal excluded two companies on the basis of functional dissimilarity, and Revenue produced no material establishing that the factual finding was erroneous or perverse.

Conclusion: The exclusion of the comparables was upheld, and the substantial questions of law were answered in favour of the assessee.

Issues: (i) Whether disallowance of commission payments under Section 40(a)(ia) for alleged non-compliance with withholding obligations under Section 195 was sustainable; (ii) Whether amounts recovered from employees and liabilities written back were business income forming part of the profits of an export undertaking rather than income from other sources.

Issue (i): Whether disallowance of commission payments under Section 40(a)(ia) for alleged non-compliance with withholding obligations under Section 195 was sustainable.

Analysis: The governing coordinate-bench ruling on the applicability of Section 195 to the commission payments and the consequential disallowance under Section 40(a)(ia) was followed.

Conclusion: The disallowance of commission payments was unsustainable. The issue was decided in favour of the assessee and against the Revenue.

Issue (ii): Whether amounts recovered from employees and liabilities written back were business income forming part of the profits of an export undertaking rather than income from other sources.

Analysis: Sections 10A and 10B operate as special and self-contained provisions for eligible export undertakings. Incidental income arising from activities integral to the export business, undertaken on commercial expediency, forms part of the undertaking's profits and cannot be separately assessed as income from other sources under Section 56.

Conclusion: The receipts were properly treated as business income of the export undertaking. The issue was decided in favour of the assessee and against the Revenue.

Final Conclusion: The treatment of the commission payments and the incidental business receipts remains governed by the applicable binding precedents.

Issues: Whether Cenvat credit on capital goods used in manufacturing plant and machinery embedded to earth can be denied solely because the resultant plant and machinery is immovable property.

Analysis: The applicable principle is that capital goods do not lose Cenvat-credit eligibility merely because they are used to manufacture plant or machinery embedded to earth. The materially similar precedent governing such credit was applicable, and no substantial question of law arose.

Conclusion: Cenvat credit cannot be denied on capital goods solely because the plant or machinery produced is embedded to earth and constitutes immovable property.

Issues: (i) Whether imported precision instruments falling under Entry 41 of Part D of the First Schedule attract tax at 20% under Entry 9 of the Eleventh Schedule; (ii) Whether sales of precision instruments against Form XVII qualify for the concessional rate under Section 3(3) when the instruments are used in manufacture.

Issue (i): Whether imported precision instruments falling under Entry 41 of Part D of the First Schedule attract tax at 20% under Entry 9 of the Eleventh Schedule.

Analysis: Entry 9 covers imported cigarettes, medium density fibre boards, textiles, and other imported goods falling under Parts D and E of the First Schedule. The use of the conjunction "and" requires uniform tax treatment for both limbs of the entry. The precision instruments fell under Entry 41 of Part D and were consequently covered by the second limb of Entry 9. The circular's restrictive reading, confining the 20% rate only to specifically named goods, was not sustainable.

Conclusion: Imported precision instruments falling under Entry 41 of Part D attract tax at 20%; the issue is decided in favour of the Revenue.

Issue (ii): Whether sales of precision instruments against Form XVII qualify for the concessional rate under Section 3(3) when the instruments are used in manufacture.

Analysis: Section 3(3) extends the concessional rate to "any goods" used in manufacture within the State, including consumables, while expressly excluding plant and machinery. The precision instruments were admittedly used in manufacture, and did not fall within the exclusion for plant and machinery. Their use as aids in the manufacturing process does not preclude the statutory benefit merely because they are not consumed in the process.

Conclusion: Sales of the precision instruments covered by Form XVII and used in manufacture qualify for the concessional 3% rate under Section 3(3); the issue is decided in favour of the assessee.

Final Conclusion: Imported goods falling under Parts D and E of the First Schedule are taxable under Entry 9 where the concessional declaration is unavailable, whereas qualifying Form XVII sales for use in manufacture are entitled to the lower statutory rate.

Ratio Decidendi: A concessional rate under Section 3(3) extends to any goods used in manufacture unless the goods are expressly excluded as plant and machinery.

Issues: Whether input tax credit can be denied where the purchasing dealer has established the genuineness of the transactions and movement of goods, solely because the selling dealer did not pay tax or filed nil returns.

Analysis: The assessee produced documents supporting the transactions, including e-sugam records establishing movement of goods. This material sufficiently discharged the burden under Section 70 of the Karnataka Value Added Tax Act, 2003. The failure of the selling dealer to remit tax could not, by itself, justify rejection of the purchaser's input tax credit claim after the genuineness of the purchases had been established.

Conclusion: Input tax credit was allowable to the assessee; it could not be denied solely on account of the selling dealer's failure to pay tax.

Issues: Whether the amount paid to an agreement holder for relinquishing enforceable rights in the property was deductible while computing capital gains.

Analysis: Section 48 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 permits deduction of expenditure incurred wholly and exclusively in connection with transfer. The agreement holder possessed enforceable rights capable of specific performance, and payment to extinguish those rights was necessary to clear and improve the transferor's title before conveyance. The full sale consideration was received, with part thereof paid through banking channels to the agreement holder for surrendering those rights.

Conclusion: The payment made to the agreement holder for extinguishment of its rights was allowable as expenditure under Section 48 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 in computing capital gains.

Issues: (i) Whether omission of Section 6(3) of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 invalidated the 2018 complaint and show-cause notice; (ii) Whether a charitable trust qualifies as a person under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 and whether loans in rupees from non-resident trustees outstanding beyond three years contravened Regulation 4 of the Foreign Exchange Management (Borrowing and Lending in Rupees) Regulations, 2000; (iii) Whether the claimed welfare purpose, technical nature of breach, or absence of mens rea precluded civil penalty; and (iv) Whether the penalty amount warranted reduction.

Issue (i): Whether omission of Section 6(3) of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 invalidated the 2018 complaint and show-cause notice.

Analysis: The omission took effect only upon notification of the relevant Finance Act, 2015 provision on 15.10.2019. The complaint and show-cause notice were issued before that date; consequently, the later omission did not affect their validity.

Conclusion: The proceedings were maintainable. This issue is against the appellant.

Issue (ii): Whether a charitable trust qualifies as a person under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 and whether loans in rupees from non-resident trustees outstanding beyond three years contravened Regulation 4 of the Foreign Exchange Management (Borrowing and Lending in Rupees) Regulations, 2000.

Analysis: Section 2(u) of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 inclusively covers every artificial juridical person not otherwise specified. A trust is distinct from its trustees and falls within that expression. The sums received from non-resident trustees were recorded as borrowings in the accounts of the trust and its institutions. Although the borrowings were on a non-repatriation basis, repayment could have been made by credit to the lenders' permitted non-resident accounts. The loans were not repaid within the three-year period prescribed by Regulation 4, and the later certificate did not negate the contravention.

Conclusion: The trust was a person under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999, and the borrowings contravened Section 6(3)(e) read with Regulations 3 and 4. This issue is against the appellant.

Issue (iii): Whether the claimed welfare purpose, technical nature of breach, or absence of mens rea precluded civil penalty.

Analysis: Section 13(1) provides a civil-penalty regime without requiring wilfulness, deliberateness, or intention. An established breach of the statutory and regulatory obligation attracts penalty irrespective of welfare purpose, claimed technicality, or absence of mens rea.

Conclusion: Mens rea was not a prerequisite for penalty, and liability for civil penalty remained established. This issue is against the appellant.

Issue (iv): Whether the penalty amount warranted reduction.

Analysis: While sustaining the contravention and the liability to penalty, the penalty quantum was reduced from Rs. 5,00,00,000 to Rs. 1,00,00,000.

Conclusion: The penalty is reduced to Rs. 1,00,00,000. This issue is in favour of the appellant.

Final Conclusion: The foreign-exchange contravention and civil penalty liability remain established, but the monetary penalty is confined to Rs. 1,00,00,000.

Ratio Decidendi: A contravention of a statutory or regulatory obligation under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 attracts civil penalty without proof of mens rea where the statute does not prescribe a mental element.