Appellants providing long duration courses not approved by AICTE...

Appellants providing long duration courses not approved by AICTE were exempted from service tax liability u/s 65(105)(zzc) of Finance Act, 1994 until Finance Act, 2011 removed the exemption. However, Finance Act, 2012 reinstated the exemption from 01.07.2012. Thus, appellants had no tax liability for the impugned period. The department wrongly alleged suppression of facts and invoked extended period of limitation despite absence of tax evasion or malafide intent. CESTAT set aside the impugned order and allowed the appeal.