2002 (2) TMI 817 - AT - Central Excise

Summary

Issues Involved:
Assessment of goods sold to subsidiary under proviso (iii) to Section 4(1)(a) of the Central Excise Act.

Detailed Analysis:

1. Assessment under Proviso (iii) to Section 4(1)(a):
- The dispute arose regarding the assessment of goods sold to a subsidiary under proviso (iii) to Section 4(1)(a) of the Central Excise Act.
- The revenue claimed that the goods sold to the subsidiary should be assessed based on the sale price of the subsidiary, resulting in a differential duty demand and penalty.
- The appellants argued that the goods should be assessed at the wholesale price at which they sell to both their subsidiary and unrelated wholesale dealers, as it constitutes the normal price of the goods.
- They contended that since they also sold goods to unrelated wholesale dealers, the proviso should not apply, citing relevant case law to support their position.

2. Sales Pattern and Relevant Case Law:
- The appellants highlighted that a significant portion (about 30%) of the goods were sold to independent wholesale dealers, challenging the notion that goods were generally not sold to independent buyers.
- Reference was made to the judgment of the Bombay High Court in a similar case, emphasizing that the proviso does not apply if some goods are sold to entities other than related persons.
- Various other decisions were cited to support the argument that the proviso should not be invoked when goods are sold to both related and unrelated parties.

3. Price Assessment and Legal Precedents:
- The appellants argued that even if the proviso applied, a manufacturer's sale price to a related person could only be rejected if it was not a fully commercial price, relying on legal precedents to support this stance.
- Several court decisions were referenced to demonstrate that the price assessment should be based on commercial considerations rather than arbitrary rejections.

4. Tribunal's Decision and Conclusion:
- The Tribunal found that the proviso (iii) to Section 4(1)(a) was not applicable in the present case, as a considerable portion of goods were sold to unrelated wholesale dealers alongside sales to the subsidiary.
- Citing the Bombay High Court's judgment and other relevant decisions, the Tribunal concluded that the goods were generally sold to wholesale dealers, negating the need for invoking the proviso.
- Consequently, the duty demand based on the proviso was deemed unsustainable, leading to the setting aside of the impugned order and allowing the appeal with consequential relief to the appellants.
- The Tribunal focused solely on the applicability of the proviso, not delving into other aspects of the case, as the appeal succeeded on the question of the proviso's relevance.

By thoroughly analyzing the issues related to the assessment of goods under proviso (iii) to Section 4(1)(a) of the Central Excise Act, the Tribunal's judgment clarified the applicability of the proviso based on the sales pattern and legal precedents cited by the appellants, ultimately ruling in favor of the appellants and setting aside the duty demand and penalty imposed.