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126                         EXCISE LAW TIMES                    [ Vol. 372

                                     invoices i.e. Shri Nirav C. Soitra of M/s. Famous Ceramics in his statement dated
                                     5-1-2010, Shri Bachubhai Patel of M/s. Kaveri Ceramics in his statement dated 6-
                                     1-2010, Shri Pankaj Patel of Cosmo Ceramics in his statement dated 6-1-2010, Shri
                                     Naresh Patel of Arrow Ceramics in his statement dated 6-1-2010 and Shri Nath-
                                     alal Brarva of M/s. Morvi Ceramics in his statement dated 7-1-2010 has refused
                                     purchasing goods on parallel invoice. No payment against such parallel invoices
                                     was received. He relies upon judgment in case of  Ebehezer Rubber - 1986 (26)
                                     E.L.T. 997 (Tri.).
                                            As regard demand of Rs. 62,67,000/- on the ground that the appellant
                                     has wrongly claimed the benefit of SSI exemption under Notification No. 8/2003
                                     dated 1-3-2003 as their clearances exceeded the exemption turnover, he submits
                                     that since the above demands does not sustain, therefore the appellant are eligi-
                                     ble to claim SSI Exemption limit in subsequent years.
                                            7.  The Ld. Counsel further submitted that the identical investigations
                                     were made  against other frit manufacturers  and  show cause  notice on same
                                     grounds were issued. On confirmation of demand by the adjudicating authority,
                                     the appeals were filed before Tribunal and all appeals were taken up together for
                                     disposal. The Tribunal vide order dated 12-5-2015 in the matter of Belgian Glass &
                                     Ceramics Pvt. Ltd. and Others, allowed all the appeals of frit manufacturers and set
                                     aside the demand. The Tribunal’s order has been upheld by the Hon’ble High
                                     Court. Their case stands even on better footing from other cases as not a single
                                     evidence of clandestine removal or undervaluation has been found.
                                            8.  Shri A. Mishra appearing for the Revenue submits that demands are
                                     sustainable  as the goods  were undervalued  and 26 buyers have accepted the
                                     same. He also submits that the demand based upon consumption of gas is also
                                     sustainable as the same was used for manufacture of frit which was cleared clan-
                                     destinely by  the appellant. He reiterates and supports the findings of the im-
                                     pugned order.
                                            9.  Heard both the sides and perused the records. We find that investi-
                                     gations were initiated against majority of frit manufacturers of Morbi region and
                                     the show cause notices were issued on identical grounds alleging undervaluation
                                     of goods, taking basis of consumption of fuel, increase in price of goods after ini-
                                     tiation of  investigation etc. In the present case we find that demand of
                                     Rs. 3,28,68,656/- has been made on the ground that the appellant had underval-
                                     ued the goods. Such demand is based upon the statement of the buyers of the
                                     goods. However we find that except the statements of some buyers no evidence
                                     has been put on record. The evidence in the form of details of cash receipts from
                                     buyers, any  document proving cash transaction on account of  undervaluation
                                     has not been brought on record. We also find from the statement of buyers that
                                     the statements were inconsistent as initially they stated that the cash amount was
                                     given to appellant through Angadias or their Tiles dealers. However in subse-
                                     quent  statements they  stated that the amount  was handed over to  Shri
                                     Hiteshbhai, employee of  Appellant Unit. During investigation no evidence of
                                     any unaccounted money having been received by the appellant from any of the
                                     tile manufacturers was found. The ledger registers produced by the tile manufac-
                                     turers before the officers contained details of payment made by them through
                                     cheques and no cash payment towards purchase of goods from the appellant was
                                     found. Neither there was any entry in their private records showing any unac-
                                     counted payment made by them to the appellant. No evidence at all from more
                                     than 26 customers to whom the frit was sold by the appellant has been produced.

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