Statutory refund interest is confined to the rate and scope...

Statutory refund interest is confined to the rate and scope provided by the statute; a claim for 12% interest was rejected because no additional interest beyond the statutory scheme can be awarded. Amounts paid during customs investigation, before assessment or a crystallised liability, remain deposits and do not become duty merely because they are credited under a duty head. Where an appeal is filed after the mandatory pre-deposit, any further amount retained cannot be appropriated as duty; the entire sum deposited during investigation or before appeal is to be treated as pre-deposit and refunded with statutory interest under section 129EE from the date of deposit, with only interest computation left open.

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