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Issues involved: Confiscation of betel nuts and truck u/s 111(d) of Customs Act, 1962, imposition of penalties.
Summary: The judgment by the Appellate Tribunal CEGAT, Kolkata pertained to the confiscation of 301 gunny bags of betel nuts and a truck under Section 111(d) of the Customs Act, 1962, along with the imposition of penalties. The truck was intercepted and found loaded with betel nuts, suspected to be of foreign origin. Various statements and documents were examined during the investigations, including those from local traders and company representatives. Despite attempts to ascertain the country of origin through different agencies, conclusive evidence was lacking. The Tribunal noted that the betel nuts were a non-notified item under Section 123 of the Customs Act, placing the burden on the Revenue to prove foreign origin and smuggling. The circumstantial evidence presented was deemed insufficient to establish beyond doubt that the goods were smuggled. The Tribunal emphasized that opinions of local traders alone were not conclusive. Given the lack of concrete evidence and doubts raised, the Tribunal ruled in favor of the appellants, allowing their appeals and overturning the confiscation of the betel nuts and truck, as well as the imposition of personal penalties.
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