Assessable value excludes post-manufacture inspection charges where goods were already marketable after manufacturer testing.

Inspection charges paid for a customer's nominee to inspect railway equipment were not includible in assessable value because the goods had already been tested by the manufacturer, were marketable on removal from the factory, and the later inspection did not enhance marketability. The charges were treated as post-manufacture expenses rather than part of the value of manufacture, so they were excluded from the assessable value.

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Issues: Whether inspection charges paid for inspection of the goods by the customer's nominee were includible in the assessable value of the manufactured railway equipment.

Analysis: The goods were already tested by the manufacturer in its own facilities and had reached the stage of marketability on removal from the factory. Further inspection carried out at the customer's instance did not add to the marketability of the goods and represented expenses incurred after manufacture. Such charges were not part of the assessable value.

Conclusion: The inspection charges paid by the Indian Railways were not includible in the assessable value.

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