Enhancement of the assessable value of imported old and used...

Enhancement of the assessable value of imported old and used machines could not be sustained where the local Chartered Engineer certificate was issued without opening and examining the goods. The Tribunal noted that the goods had already been examined and released on the basis of the load port certificate furnished by the importer, while the later local certificate, used to finalise provisional assessment and raise differential duty, pre-dated the 100% examination and therefore lacked evidentiary validity. On that basis, the value enhancement was held legally unsustainable, and the consequential customs duty demand with interest was set aside.

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