2007 (8) TMI 521 - AT - Central Excise

Summary

Issues involved: Confiscation of unaccounted goods and imposition of penalty.

Confiscation of goods: The appeal was against an order setting aside the confiscation of goods unaccounted for in the records of the Respondents. The Adjudicating Authority had ordered the confiscation of the entire unaccounted stock with an option for redemption on payment of a fine. The learned Commissioner (A) set aside the confiscation and reduced the penalty based on a previous case law. The Revenue appealed against the setting aside of the confiscation and redemption of the fine. The Director of the Company stated that excess goods were manufactured to meet customer demands promptly, and the practice of keeping unprinted goods was known to the Department. The goods were cleared on payment of duty, and the Respondents claimed they were semi-finished goods stored without accounting in the stock register. The absence of allegations of clandestine removal and lack of evidence against the goods being semi-finished led to the setting aside of confiscation by the learned Commissioner (A). The Tribunal's ruling on mens rea not being necessary for confiscation did not apply in this case due to the specific circumstances.

Penalty imposition: The Order in Appeal correctly set aside the confiscation of goods, and the penalty was deemed appropriate given the circumstances. The appeal by the Revenue was rejected based on these findings.