Royalty expenditure and subcontract expenditure were both...

Royalty expenditure and subcontract expenditure were both restored to the Assessing Officer for fresh examination because the existing record did not conclusively establish the contractual basis, the nature of royalty deduction from running bills, or the genuineness of the joint venture arrangement and subcontracting arrangement. The Tribunal required reconsideration of the royalty claim on the basis of the contract terms and material already filed, and directed verification of the subcontract disallowance with reference to TDS compliance, the joint venture agreement, and execution of work under the PWD tender. Since the quantum additions were set aside for de novo assessment, the consequential penalty under section 270A was also left open for fresh consideration in the reassessment proceedings.

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