TaxTMI 
TaxTMI 
TaxTMI 
2018 (12) TMI 1234
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....errut-II against various units located in their jurisdiction who were purchasing Menthol Solution and De-mentholised Oil from Jammu & Kashmir based units. The Meerut Commissionerate searched the premises of various commission agents and buyers as well as sellers of Menthol Solution & DMO. The officers found that commission agents are neither maintaining proper record of sale of raw material nor purchased the raw material. The commission agents had issued Kissan Kharid Patra to various farmers whereas the investigation conducted at the end of farmers indicates that the farmers are non existence. On the basis of investigation at the end of commission agents and farmers, the Merrut Commissionerate concluded that J&K based units are not purchasing raw material, so there is no question of manufacture of finished goods by J&K based units, the goods manufactured were sold to UP based manufacturers who in turn partially exported their finished goods and partially sold in domestic market. The Merrut Commissionerate issued show cause notices to UP based manufacturers to deny cenvat credit availed on goods purchased from J&K based suppliers and at the insistence of Meerut Commissionerate, the....
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....icers of Jammu Commissionerate and the whole case has been investigated and conducted by the Commissioner Central Excise, Meerut. Without investigation, it cannot be held that the appellants were not manufacturers of the finished goods during the impugned period. Therefore, the impugned orders against the appellants are not sustainable, particularly when the investigation started in the year 2006 by the officers of Meerut Commissionerate, the appellants were sanctioned refund orders under Notification No. 56/2002-CE dated 14.11.2002 even after start of investigation by the Meerut Commissionerate. This clearly shows that the allegations are only based on assumptions and presumptions and it cannot be held that appellants had not manufactured the goods during the impugned period. The Hon'ble Tribunal vide various Final Orders in identical facts and circumstances emanating from the same Meerut Commissionerate, have allowed the appeals as per the following orders; 1. Rohit Aggrwal, Akash Traders and SB Aromatics V/s C.C.E. & S.T. Jammu & Kashmir and C.C.E- Delhi reported at 2018(11) TMI 830-CESTAT Chandigarh. 2. Final Order No. 63193-61196/2018 dated 28.08.2018 in the case of Nectar L....
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....the submissions. 9. We find that in this case the sole allegation against the appellant is based on the investigation conducted by Commissioner of Central Excise, Merrut, and as per the investigation, it is alleged that farmers from whom the inputs were purchased were non-existence. Therefore, commission agents never supplied inputs to the appellant and the appellant did not manufacture the goods. Consequently, they have not sold the goods and it was alleged that the appellant has not manufactured the goods at all. 10. We further take note of the fact that, the investigation was not conducted at the end of the appellants and whole case has been based on the investigation conducted at Commissioner Central Excise, Merrut-II. Without investigation, it cannot be held that the appellants were not manufacturer of the finished goods during the impugned period. Moreover, the entries of vehicles at the toll barriers also certified that the movements of raw material and finished goods. We further take note of the fact that the during the period of investigation itself, the appellants were allowed to continue their activity by procuring inputs from UP based supplier and selling goods manufa....
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....he inputs were purchased were non-existence. Therefore, commission agents never supplied inputs to the appellant and the appellant did not manufacture the goods. Consequently, they have not sold the goods and it was alleged that the appellant has not manufactured the goods at all. 7. We take a note of the fact that the check post movement of trucks which were carrying inputs as well as finished goods were found entered. We further take note of the fact that the appellant has produced the evidence of the entry of all the transport vehicles i.e. trucks which have entered in the state of Punjab and have left the state of Punjab, as the same has been certified by the Punjab Sales Tax Department having entries of entry and exit all the vehicles, therefore, it cannot be said that the raw material/finished goods have never entered or left in the state of Jammu & Kashmir, therefore, the allegation on the basis of the investigation conducted by the Commissioner of Central Excise, Merrut is not sustainable. 8. Further, we take note of the fact that during the period of investigation itself, the appellant continued their activity by procuring inputs from U.P and selling the goods after ma....
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....trict Centre also certified the said fact. 10. We further take note of the fact that the various other departments namely Pollution Control Department, District Industries Department, Electrical Department have visited the factory of the appellant and found functioning. All these facts have not been disputed by the Revenue. As there is no corroborative evidence to show that the appellant were not manufacturing the goods, therefore, the allegation alleged in the show cause notice is not sustainable. 11. We further take note of the fact that on the basis of the same investigation conducted by the Commissioner of Central Excise, Merrut, the case was booked against the various parties namely M/s Arora Aromatic & Others Vide Final Order No. 71939-71959/2017 dated 01.11.2017, this Tribunal observed as under: "10. Having considered the rival contentions and on perusal of the facts on record, we find that the basic allegations in the Show Cause Notice was that M/s Arora Aromatics did not receive inputs on which they availed Cenvat credit basically on the contention of Revenue that M/s Ruchi Infotech System, Jammu did not have facility to manufacture the inputs received by M/s Arora A....
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....er in which he has decided the issue and he was not just and fair and did not discharge his duty as an independent adjudicator. We, therefore, set aside both the impugned Orders-in-Original dated 29/01/2010 & 29/03/2011 and allow all the appeals filed by appellant. The appellant shall be entitled for consequential relief. All the demand and penalties imposed are also set aside. All the Miscellaneous/Stay Applications stand disposed, as infructuous." 12. In view of the above observations, we hold that without bringing any concrete evidence against the appellant on record, the proceedings against the appellant are not sustainable, therefore, the show cause notice issued to the appellant is only on the basis of the assumption and presumption and investigation conducted by the Commissioner of Central Excise, Merrut, but without conducting any investigation at the end of the appellant, therefore, on the basis of evidences available on record, we hold that the appellant were manufacturing unit in the state of Jammu & Kashmir is entitled for benefit of the exemption Notification No. 56/2002-CE dated 14.11.2002 and claimed the refund of duty paid through PLA. In view of this, we set as....