Page 280 - ELT_1_1st April 2020_Vol 372_Part
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166                         EXCISE LAW TIMES                    [ Vol. 372

                                     test, the appellant has never requested for retest of the sample of the disputed
                                     products and that the appellant was required to apply for retest of the samples.
                                     However, they failed to  do so and, and therefore, they cannot  claim that they
                                     have applied for re-test of the samples within 90 days from the date of communi-
                                     cation of the rest report to them. The argument advanced by the appellant that
                                     M/s. SEPL had taken a portion of the factory on lease and processing activity
                                     was undertaken by M/s. SEPL is an afterthought. The machines installed in the
                                     factory premises are owned by the appellant, they were registered under various
                                     acts and, therefore, they are the actual manufacturer of the goods. Regarding the
                                     contention of the appellant that the disputed goods were exported by M/s. SEPL
                                     under bond/LUT and submission of export proofs like certificate from the Range
                                     Jurisdictional Superintendent, AR-III,  Anand cannot be considered  as  export
                                     made by the appellant as they have not followed any procedure of the export
                                     inasmuch as they have cleared the goods only for home consumption to M/s.
                                     SEPL without any invoice and payment of duty. He relied upon the Tribunal’s
                                     order in case of Sheena Exports - 2012 (2) ECS (97) (Tri. - Del.) = 2013 (288) E.L.T.
                                     560 (Tri.).
                                            5.  We find that the investigation were initiated by visiting the premises
                                     of the appellant wherein the officers found 1152 bags of Afzal brand snuff tobac-
                                     co, which contained the following description :
                                                                  AFZAL (REGD.)
                                                                  BEST QUALITY
                                                                      SNUFF
                                                                    TOBACCO
                                                        SOPARIWALA EXPORTS PVT. LTD.
                                                     POST BAG NO. 9992, ‘NIRMAL’. 21st FLOOR
                                                    NARIMAN POINT, MUMBAI-400 021 (INDIA)
                                                      TEL. : 91-22-66396666, FAX : 91-22-66396677
                                                   E-MAIL : soex@vsnl.com Web : www.sopariwala.com

                                                  FOR EXPORT ONLY 50 KG, NET WHEN PACKED
                                                              GROSS WT. : 50.200 KGS

                                            5.1  Further, the machines, viz. (1) 1 - Trombler Machine, (2) 1 - Feeder
                                     machine, (3)  1 - Grad well machine (Charotar  Machine), (4)  1 - Y-Bro screen
                                     (Rava Machine), (5) 5 - Hath Charna, (6) 1 - Umity Fire Tank, (7) 1 - Vibrator Ma-
                                     chine (Rava), (8) 1 - Vinovar Fan and (9) 1 - Blower Machine (Hand), were found.
                                     Supervisor of the unit Shri Salimbhai Yakubhai Momin, who was present during
                                     the visit informed the officers that the machines were used to produce powder
                                     from the materials of tobacco and that the goods are to be dispatched to M/s.
                                     SEPL, Borsad for export. Statement of Shri Salimbhai Yakubhai Momin was rec-
                                     orded on 28-10-2007, i.e. day of the visit, wherein he stated that since last 2 years,
                                     tobacco is grinded and processed in machines and  are packed for dispatch to
                                     M/s. SEPL. Similarly, statement of Shri Sirajbhai Gulamnabi Vekariya, Account-
                                     ant was recorded on 29-10-2007 who stated that they are engaged in purchasing
                                     tobacco and selling it after cleaning. That except powder of tobacco, which is
                                     known as Gadia powder, no other process is carried out and the same is trans-
                                     ferred to the appellant. Statement of Shri Faizal Yunusbhai Fazlani, director of
                                     M/s. SEPL was recorded on 30-10-2007 wherein he stated that they have taken

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