Page 252 - ELT_2nd_15th April 2020_Vol 372_Part
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298                         EXCISE LAW TIMES                    [ Vol. 372

                                     tained in the impugned communication dated 7-4-2018 were for provisional re-
                                     lease of the goods and in absence of final determination of the duty liability, the
                                     appeal filed by the appellant can be considered as pre-mature and cannot be en-
                                     tertained by the Tribunal at this juncture.
                                            4.  Therefore, we do not find any merits in the appeal filed by the appel-
                                     lant. Accordingly same is dismissed.
                                               (Operative part of the order pronounced in the open Court)
                                                                     _______
                                                     2020 (372) E.L.T. 298 (Tri. - Del.)
                                                IN THE CESTAT, PRINCIPAL BENCH, NEW DELHI
                                                                 [COURT NO. II]
                                         S/Shri Anil Choudhary, Member (J) and Bijay Kumar, Member (T)
                                                              AMAN BADHWAR
                                                                      Versus
                                              COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS, NEW DELHI
                                             Final Order No. 53625/2018-Cu(DB), dated 22-10-2018 in Appeal
                                                                 No. C/51993/2018
                                            Penalty - Quantum of - Appellant, a student pursuing Hotel Manage-
                                     ment courses after completing his  graduation,  unknowingly used by  his
                                     cousin and other person by giving them offer of free tour of Hong Kong - Ap-
                                     pellant also signed the documents of bank accounts in connection of company
                                     in the name of Moral Colour Limited at Hong Kong - Appellant was an adult
                                     aged about 22 years - Thus it cannot be said that appellant was of tender age
                                     and innocent - No record that appellant knowingly did the acts of omission
                                     and commission during his pleasure trip to Hong Kong - However, appellant
                                     was paid about ` 20,000 by cousin brothers and thus appellant lured in signing
                                     various documents for opening of bank account in connection with the com-
                                     pany, without much understanding  the consequences - Penalty  rightly im-
                                     posed however, excessive - Penalty reduced from ` 1,00,000 to ` 25,000 - Section
                                     114A of Customs Act, 1962. [paras 32, 33]
                                                                                        Appeal partly allowed
                                            REPRESENTED BY :      Shri B.L. Soni, Consultant, for the Appellant.
                                                                  Shri Rakesh Kumar,  Authorised Representative, for
                                                                  the Respondent.
                                            [Order per : Anil Choudhary, Member (J)]. - The issue in this appeal is
                                     whether the appellant has been rightly imposed penalty of Rs. 1,00,000/- under
                                     Section 114AA of the Customs Act, 1962.
                                            2.  The brief facts are that the appellant had completed his graduation
                                     and was pursuing Hotel  Management from IHM Bangalore.  During February,
                                     2013 when appellant’s maternal cousin Shri Anirudh Palta asked him to accom-
                                     pany him to visit his (Anirudh’s) brother- Bhavuk Palta, who has been residing
                                     in Hong Kong for the past 7-8 years. Shri Anirudh had told him that his brother
                                     Bhavuk had asked him to visit Hong Kong along with 6-7 friends. Expenses for
                                     the visit were to be borne by Shri Bhavuk Palta.
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