Supreme Court Dismisses Customs Challenge Against ITC Ltd Over Quicklime Classification

The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed the Customs Department's challenge against ITC Ltd, upholding a ruling that treated imported “quicklime” as an industrial form of lime rather than a chemically pure compound. The classification turned on whether the product, containing about 92% calcium oxide, could be considered a high-purity chemical.A bench of Justices Manoj Misra and Manmohan found no grounds to interfere with the CESTAT Kolkata Bench order dated June 20, 2025, which had held in favour...

Supreme Court Sets Aside HC Direction Making Customs Dept. Liable For Demurrage In Austin Engineering Dispute

The Supreme Court has recently set aside a Madras High Court ruling that had required the Customs Department to bear demurrage charges in a dispute with Austin Engineering Co. Ltd. These charges are levied by port authorities when imported goods remain in storage beyond the permitted period.The court made it clear that such liability cannot be placed on customs unless there is clear evidence of mala fides or a gross abuse of power. A bench of Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice Prasanna B. Varale...

Supreme Court Stays ₹14.91 Crore Customs Duty Recovery Against HP India, Issues Notice

The Supreme Court has stayed recovery pursuant to a Rs.14.91 crore customs demand against HP India Sales Pvt. Ltd. and issued notice in its appeal against a November 4, 2025 order of the Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT).HP India's appeal challenges the CESTAT Mumbai order, which upheld the classification of its imported “HP Latex printers” as inkjet printing machines instead of inkjet printers, leading to the duty demand along with interest and penalty under the...

Supreme Court Dismisses Patanjali Foods' Appeal Against Kerala High Court's “Out of Charge” Order

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a special leave petition filed by Patanjali Foods Ltd, refusing to interfere with the Kerala High Court's judgment which held that customs duty is to be determined based on the date of issuance of the “out of charge” order. A Division Bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K.V. Viswanathan found no valid grounds to challenge the High Court's decision.The Kerala High Court had allowed Patanjali Foods' appeal, holding that the relevant date for calculating...

Voluntary Statements To Customs Officers Can Sustain Conviction: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has recently reiterated that statements recorded by Customs officers under Section 108 of the Customs Act, 1962, constitute substantive evidence and can sustain a conviction if shown to be voluntary. A bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta reaffirmed the Gujarat High Court's judgment holding that, “Statements recorded under Section 108 of the Customs Act, 1962 by duly authorized Customs Officers are admissible in evidence and do not attract the bar...

Supreme Court Dismisses Customs Review Plea Against IndiGo, SpiceJet In IGST Exemption Case On Reimported Aircraft Parts

The Supreme Court has recently dismissed review petitions filed by the Customs Department against its earlier judgment affirming relief granted to InterGlobe Aviation Limited, which operates IndiGo, in a dispute concerning the levy of Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) on re-import of aircraft and parts sent abroad for repairs.A bench of Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Justice K.V. Viswanathan condoned the delay but declined to interfere with its earlier decision. The court held: ...

Supreme Court Issues Notice In Challenge To CESTAT Ruling That Customs Cannot Alter FOB Value Of Goods

The Supreme Court recently issued notice on an appeal filed by the Commissioner of Customs (Appeals) against a ruling of the Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT), New Delhi, which held that Customs officers cannot alter the Free on Board (FOB) value agreed upon between a buyer and seller. A Bench of Justice Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha and Justice Alok Aradhe directed that the matter be heard along with a connected appeal. The tribunal had framed the issue succinctly:...

DEEC Licence Must Be Valid On Date Of Warehouse Clearance To Claim Customs Exemption: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court of India has recently reiterated that in the case of warehoused goods, customs duty liability arises on the date of actual clearance from the warehouse, and an importer cannot claim exemption under a DEEC advance licence if the licence has expired by then.Upholding the High Court's decision, a bench of Justices Manmohan and Vipul M. Pancholi ruled that entitlement to exemption must subsist on the date duty is assessed. “From the aforesaid provisions, it is evident that the...

Supreme Court Upholds Delhi High Court Ruling On Duty Drawback For Unlocked Mobile Phones

The Supreme Court has recently dismissed a Special Leave Petition filed by Customs, thereby letting stand a Delhi High Court ruling that unlocking or activating mobile phones prior to export does not disentitle exporters from claiming duty drawback. By an order dated January 30, 2026, a Bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Joymalya Bagchi declined to interfere with the Delhi High Court's judgment, observing that it found “no good ground to interfere with the impugned order passed by the High...

Supreme Court Issues Notice On Challenge To Delhi HC View That Customs Need Not Communicate Adjudication Time Extension

The Supreme Court recently (February 6) issued notice in a challenge to a Delhi High Court ruling that held that customs authorities were not required to communicate an extension granted for completing adjudication proceedings and directed that the matter be heard along with a pending appeal. A bench comprising Justices P.S. Narasimha and Alok Aradhe issued notice in the special leave petition filed by Pranij Heights India Pvt. Ltd. and directed that it be listed along with the pending SLP in...

Supreme Court Issues Notice On Vedanta's Appeal Against Denial Of Interest On Delayed Export Duty Refund

The Supreme Court of India on Monday issued notice in a civil appeal filed by Vedanta Limited challenging a judgment of the Calcutta High Court, which denied interest on a delayed refund of export duty, holding that statutory interest under the Customs Act becomes payable only after a valid refund application is filed. A Bench of Justices Manoj Misra and Manmohan condoned the delay. It directed issuance of notice, returnable in six weeks. The order records: “Delay condoned. Issue notice,...

Supreme Court Issues Notice On Union's Appeal Against Bombay High Court Ruling On IGST Penalties

The Supreme Court recently issued notice on a Special Leave Petition filed by the Union government challenging a Bombay High Court ruling, which held that, prior to a 2024 amendment, the Customs Tariff Act did not permit the levy of interest, penalty, confiscation, or redemption fine on Integrated Goods and Services Tax collected on imported goods.A bench of Justice K.V. Viswanathan and Justice Vipul M. Pancholi passed the order after hearing the Additional Solicitor General for the Revenue and...