The appellant imported goods declared as 'Low Aromatic White ...

Customs duty dispute: Imported goods classified as 'Low Aromatic White Spirit' not 'Kerosene', no policy violations.

Case Laws     Customs

November 20, 2024

The appellant imported goods declared as 'Low Aromatic White Spirit' classifiable under Customs Tariff Heading (CTH) 2710 1990, while the adjudicating authority reclassified them as 'Kerosene' under CTH 2710 1910, alleging mis-declaration. The goods were confiscated u/ss 111(m) and 111(d) of the Customs Act, 1962, for violating the Foreign Trade Policy and Petroleum Rules. The Tribunal observed that no test was conducted to determine if the goods met the requirements of 'Low Aromatic White Spirit'. It discussed the characteristics, manufacturing process, and international classification of such products under the Harmonized System Nomenclature. Based on the technical literature, the Tribunal held that the imported goods were rightly classifiable as 'Low Aromatic White Spirit' under CTH 2710 1990, not 'Kerosene'. Consequently, there was no violation of the Foreign Trade Policy or Petroleum Rules, and the goods were not liable for confiscation u/ss 111(m) and 111(d). The penalty imposed u/s 112(a)(i) was also set aside.

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