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754                         EXCISE LAW TIMES                    [ Vol. 372

                                     examination was denied by Adjudicating authority vide O-I-O No. 17/2013, dat-
                                     ed  11-12-2013. The Adjudicating  Authority has relied on the judgment of  the
                                     Apex Court judgment in the case of Naresh J. Sukhawani v. UOI [1996 (83) E.L.T.
                                     (258) (S.C.)] and Surjeet Singh Chhabra v. UOI [1997 (89) E.L.T. 646 (S.C.)] in sup-
                                     port of her decision denying the cross-examination of the witnesses and the cus-
                                     toms officers.
                                            3.  The Commissioner (Appeals) vide the impugned O-I-A upheld the
                                     order of confiscation of the impugned gold bars and cocurred with the adjudicat-
                                     ing authority’s decision for denial of cross-examination of witnesses and customs
                                     officers. He,  however, allowed the release of the  DD amounting to Rs.  12  lac
                                     meant for deposit in NRE Account and confiscated the Indian currency amount-
                                     ing to Rs. 12,500/-. He has waived off the penalty under Section 114AA of the
                                     Customs Act, 1962 and reduced penalty from Rs. 30 lacs (Rupees Thirty Lacs) to
                                     Rs. 5 lacs (Rupees Five Lacs) imposed under Section 112 of the Customs Act, 1962
                                     on the PAX. He has upheld the adjudicating authority’s order regarding absolute
                                     confiscation  of the seventy gold biscuits weighing 8164.80 grams valued  at
                                     Rs. 2,51,89,735/- (Rupees Two Crore Fifty One Lacs Eighty Nine Thousand Seven
                                     Hundred and Thirty Five) and UAE Dirham AED 1,05,410 (Dirham One Lac Five
                                     Thousand Four Hundred and Ten).
                                            The revision applications have been filed by the Commissioner of Cus-
                                     toms (P) Jodhpur (HQ Jaipur) and the PAX on 19-5-2015 and 3-11-2017 respec-
                                     tively with this office.  The PAX initially filed an Appeal Bearing  No.
                                     C/51960/2015-CU (DB)  along with stay  application on 25-2-2015 before the
                                     Hon’ble CESTAT, New Delhi against the impugned order-in-appeal. As the ap-
                                     peal did not lie before the Hon’ble Tribunal, the PAX applied for its withdrawal
                                     on 3-10-2017 when the matter came up for final hearing. The Tribunal vide Final
                                     Order No.  57034/2017, dated 3-10-2017 dismissed  the appeal of the PAX as
                                     withdrawn. Subsequently the PAX filed the instant Revision Application dated
                                     3-11-2017.
                                            Revision Application has been filed by the Commissioner of Customs
                                     (P), Jodhpur (HQ Jaipur) on two grounds. He has challenged the reduction in pen-
                                     alty imposed on the PAX under Section 112 of the Customs Act, 1962 as per Or-
                                     der-in- Appeal on the ground that it is not commensurate with the gravity of of-
                                     fence. He has also challenged the waiver of penalty on the PAX under Section
                                     114AA of Customs Act, 1962.
                                            The Pax in Revision Application filed on 3-11-2017 has primarily made
                                     following requests :
                                            (i)  Release of confiscated  gold bars  and  permission to re-export the
                                                 same.
                                            (ii)  Release of absolutely confiscated Forex and Indian  currency with
                                                 permission to re-export them.
                                            (iii)  Release of the absolutely confiscated packaging materials and other
                                                 miscellaneous goods.
                                            (iv)  The orders of the lower authorities regarding imposition of Penalty
                                                 be set aside.


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