KARACHI: The Customs Appellate Tribunal Karachi (Bench-I) comprising Muhammad Nadeem Qureshi (Member Judicial-I) declared the proceedings of heirarchy of the Customs agaisnt an auto parts importer for removal of consignment of auto parts null and void.
The importer, Khadim Motors Karachi was charged by the Customs department Adjudication-I that it conceald the the actual weight of the goods imported and mis-declared the value of goods thus to deprive of the national exchequer of taxes and duty.
The Adjudication Officer vide Orders-in-Original June 5, 2013 imposed recovery of Rs 342,809 as well as personal penalty of Rs 200,000 on each of the importer, clearing agent, freight forwarder and custodian Shaheen Container Services (pvt) Limited.
The appellant advocate appeared before the tribunal contended that impugned Order-in-Original and Order-in-Appeal passed by the respondents were not sustainable under law and liable to be dismissed.
The tribunal hearing appeal by the importer was of the considered view that the proceedings in the subject case were infected with inherent legal infirmities and substantive illegalities, tantamounts to the patent violation of prescribed law and utter disregard of principle of natural justice.
Thus the orders passed by the Customs department against appellant are hereby declared null and void ab-initio, therefore accordingly set-aside, appeal is allowed with no order as to cost, the tribunal concluded.