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TMI Blog2023 (3) TMI 533X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... 0 of the Karnataka Value Added Tax Act, 2003 (hereinafter referred to as the 'KVAT Act, 2003'), all these appeals are decided and disposed of together, by this common judgment and order. 2. For the sake of convenience, Civil Appeal No. 231 of 2023 arising from the impugned judgment and order dated 26.02.2021 passed by the High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru in S.T.R.P. No. 82 of 2018 is treated as the lead matter, as in some matters, the said decision has been relied upon. 3. By the impugned judgment(s) and order(s) passed by the High Court, the High Court has dismissed the revision applications preferred by the revenue - State of Karnataka and as such has allowed the Input Tax Credit (hereinafter referred to as the 'ITC') claimed by the respective purchasing dealers. The impugned judgment(s) and order(s) passed by the High Court are the subject matter of present appeals. Civil Appeal No. 231/2023 (The State of Karnataka v. M/s Tallam Apparels) 4. The facts leading to the present appeal in nutshell are as under: That the respondent herein - M/s Tallam Apparels (hereinafter referred to as the 'purchasing dealer') purchased readymade garments from other dealers for the purpose ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... consequently allowed the ITC claimed. The revision application before the High Court has been dismissed, relying upon its earlier decision in the case of M/s Tallam Apparels (supra). 5. Shri Nikhil Goel, learned AAG has appeared on behalf of the State of Karnataka and the respective learned counsel have appeared on behalf of the respective purchasing dealers. 6. Shri Nikhil Goel, learned AAG appearing on behalf of the State has vehemently submitted that in the facts and circumstances of the case, the High Court has materially erred in dismissing the revision applications and confirming the respective orders passed by the Appellate Authorities in allowing the Input Tax Credit in favour of the respective purchasing dealers. 6.1 It is vehemently submitted that the High Court has not properly appreciated that when the Assessing Officer doubted the genuineness of the transactions/sales and when it was found that the sale transactions were only paper transactions and even in some of the cases, the registration of the sellers were cancelled and nothing was on record that any tax was paid by the seller, the purchasing dealers shall not be entitled to the Input Tax Credit. 6.2 It is veh ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... (purchasing dealer) cannot be held liable for that. It is submitted that as such the purchasing dealer is entitled to the Input Tax Credit on the tax paid by the seller and/or on the tax paid. It is submitted that therefore, for the purposes of Input Tax Credit, the purchasing dealer has to prove the actual payment of tax and actual transfer of goods and mere paper transaction is not sufficient. 6.5 Making above submissions and relying upon the above decisions, it is prayed to allow the present appeals. 7. While opposing the present appeals, learned counsel appearing on behalf of the respective assessees/dealers, who claimed the Input Tax Credit have vehemently submitted that in the present case, as such, the purchasing dealers have discharged the burden of proof cast under Section 70 of the KVAT Act, 2003 and proved the genuineness of the transactions by producing the genuine invoices and even the payment made through cheques. It is submitted that therefore once the dealer has discharged the burden cast under Section 70 of the KVAT Act,2003, the purchasing dealer is entitled to the Input Tax Credit and if at all it is found that a tax is not paid by the seller, the same can be r ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... is a registered dealer having a valid registration. It is submitted that denial of ITC to a purchasing dealer who has taken all the necessary precautions fails to distinguish such a diligent purchasing dealer from the one that has not acted bonafide. It is submitted that in the case of The Additional Commissioner of commercial Taxes Zone - II and Ors. Vs. M/s. Transworld Star Manjushree, Civil Appeal Nos. 216-217 of 2023 @ SLP (Civil) No. 6337-6338 of 2022, both the seller and dealer were registered. 7.4 Making above submissions, it is prayed to dismiss the present appeals. 8. We have heard learned counsel for the respective parties at length. We have gone through the orders passed by the Assessing Officer and the first Appellate Authority as well as the orders passed by the second Appellate Authority/Tribunal and also the impugned judgment(s) and order(s) passed by the High Court dismissing the revision applications. The respondents herein - all purchasing dealers claimed the Input Tax Credit on the alleged purchases made from the respective dealers. The Assessing Officer, on appreciation of evidence and considering the other material on record, doubted the genuineness of the t ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ing such ITC. Burden of proof that the ITC claim is correct is squarely upon the assessee who has to discharge the said burden. Merely because the dealer claiming such ITC claims that he is a bona fide purchaser is not enough and sufficient. The burden of proving the correctness of ITC remains upon the dealer claiming such ITC. Such a burden of proof cannot get shifted on the revenue. Mere production of the invoices or the payment made by cheques is not enough and cannot be said to be discharging the burden of proof cast under section 70 of the KVAT Act, 2003. The dealer claiming ITC has to prove beyond doubt the actual transaction which can be proved by furnishing the name and address of the selling dealer, details of the vehicle which has delivered the goods, payment of freight charges, acknowledgement of taking delivery of goods, tax invoices and payment particulars etc. The aforesaid information would be in addition to tax invoices, particulars of payment etc. In fact, if a dealer claims Input Tax Credit on purchases, such dealer/purchaser shall have to prove and establish the actual physical movement of goods, genuineness of transactions by furnishing the details referred abov ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... of the cases, the concerned purchasing dealers have produced any further supporting material, such as, furnishing the name and address of the selling dealer, details of the vehicle which has delivered the goods, payment of freight charges, acknowledgement of taking delivery of goods, tax invoices and payment particulars etc. and therefore it can be said that the concerned purchasing dealers failed to discharge the burden cast upon them under Section 70 of the KVAT Act, 2003. At the cost of repetition, it is observed and held that unless and until the purchasing dealer discharges the burden cast under Section 70 of the KVAT Act, 2003 and proves the genuineness of the transaction/purchase and sale by producing the aforesaid materials, such purchasing dealer shall not be entitled to Input Tax Credit. 12. Despite the findings of fact recorded by the Assessing Officer on the genuineness of the transactions, while refusing to allow the ITC, which came to be confirmed by the first Appellate Authority, the second Appellate Authority as well as the High Court have upset the concurrent findings given by the Assessing Officer as well as the first Appellate Authority, on irrelevant considera ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... 03 was not an issue before the Delhi High Court. How and when the burden of proof can be said to have been discharged to prove the genuineness of the transactions was not the issue before the Delhi High Court. As observed hereinabove, while claiming ITC as per section 70 of the KVAT Act, 2003, the purchasing dealer has to prove the genuineness of the transaction and as per section 70 of the KVAT Act, 2003, the burden is upon the purchasing dealer to prove the same while claiming ITC. 15. In view of the above and for the reasons stated above and in absence of any further cogent material like furnishing the name and address of the selling dealer, details of the vehicle which has delivered the goods, payment of freight charges, acknowledgement of taking delivery of goods, tax invoices and payment particulars etc. and the actual physical movement of the goods by producing the cogent materials, the Assessing Officer was absolutely justified in denying the ITC, which was confirmed by the first Appellate Authority. Both, the second Appellate Authority as well as the High Court have materially erred in allowing the ITC despite the concerned purchasing dealers failed to prove the genuinene ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X
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