Section Text
After section 28AA of the Customs Act, the following section shall be inserted, namely:--
'28AAA. Recovery of duties in certain cases.--
(1) Where an instrument issued to a person has been obtained by him by means of--
(a) collusion; or
(b) wilful misstatement; or
(c) suppression of facts, for the purposes of this Act or the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992(22 of 1992), by such person or his agent or employee and such instrument is utilised under the provisions of this Act or the rules made or notifications issued thereunder, by a person other than the person to whom the instrument was issued, the duty relatable to such utilisation of instrument shall be deemed never to have been exempted or debited and such duty shall be recovered from the person to whom the said instrument was issued:
Provided that the action relating to recovery of duty under this section against the person to whom the instrument was issued shall be without prejudice to an action against the importer under section 28.
Explanation 1.--For the purposes of this sub-section, "instrument" means any scrip or authorisation or licence or certificate or such other document, by whatever name called, issued under the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992(22 of 1992), with respect to a reward or incentive scheme or duty exemption scheme or duty remission scheme or such other scheme bestowing financial or fiscal benefits, which may be utilised under the provisions of this Act or the rules made or notifications issued thereunder.
Explanation 2.--The provisions of this sub-section shall apply to any utilisation of instrument so obtained by the person referred to in this sub-section on or after the date on which the Finance Act, 2012 receives the assent of the President, whether or not such instrument is issued to him prior to the date of the assent.
(2) Where the duty becomes recoverable in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (1), the person from whom such duty is to be recovered, shall, in addition to such duty, be liable to pay interest at the rate fixed by the Central Government under section 28 AA and the amount of such interest shall be calculated for the period beginning from the date of utilisation of the instrument till the date of recovery of such duty.
(3) For the purposes of recovery under sub-section (2), the proper officer shall serve notice on the person to whom the instrument was issued requiring him to show cause, within a period of thirty days from the date of receipt of the notice, as to why the amount specified in the notice (excluding the interest) should not be recovered from him, and after giving that person an opportunity of being heard, and after considering the representation, if any, made by such person, determine the amount of duty or interest or both to be recovered from such person, not being in excess of the amount specified in the notice, and pass order to recover the amount of duty or interest or both and the person to whom the instrument was issued shall repay the amount so specified in the notice within a period of thirty days from the date of receipt of the said order, along with the interest due on such amount, whether or not the amount of interest is specified separately.
(4) Where an order determining the duty has been passed under section 28, no order to recover that duty shall be passed under this section.
(5) Where the person referred to in sub-section (3) fails to repay the amount within the period of thirty days specified therein, it shall be recovered in the manner laid down in sub-section (1) of section 142.'.