Tax
"₹41664 Crores ITC Fraud Via Non-Existing Entities, Fake Invoices": Centre Flags Rising GST Evasion In Rajya Sabha
The Centre has acknowledged a sharp rise in GST evasion and Input Tax Credit (ITC) frauds, where bogus or dummy entities were found to be used as fronts for fake invoicing. In a tabulated scale of Fake Invoicing Cases, the Centre has put forth number of cases registered and corresponding detection amount by Central tax formations during 2022-23, 2023-24 with the Financial Years...
Pan Masala, Tobacco Profits Invested In Mutual Funds Not 'Trading In Securities', Service Tax Not Applicable: CESTAT Delhi
The Delhi Bench, Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has set aside service tax demand on the activity of investing in Mutual Funds as such activities undertaken by Godfrey Phillips India Limited (Appellant) would be different from 'trading in securities' and cannot be considered as an exempted service in terms of section 66D(e) of the Finance Act. In an order...
Supplying AI-Powered IT Infra Services, Content To USA Corp By Indian Counterpart Is 'Export' Not 'Intermediary' : Gujarat High Court
The Gujarat High Court has held that rendering software consultancy services including editorial and content creation activities as well as customer support services to Infodesk Inc., Parent Company in the United States is 'export of service' and not 'intermediary service'. In a judgment dated November 27, 2025 the Bench comprising Justice A.S. Supehia and Justice Pranav...
Subway Franchisee Hiked Base Prices To Neutralise ITC Loss, Amounted To Profiteering; 18% Interest Can't Apply Retrospectively: GSTAT
The Goods and Services Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT), Anti Profiteering Division at Delhi has held that Franchisee of Subway Systems profiteered in respect of restaurant services by increasing base price of the products to offset loss of Input Tax Credit (ITC). In an order dated December 02, 2025 the Single Bench of Justice (Retd.) Dr. Sanjaya Kumar Mishra (President) has accepted the...
LiveLawBiz: Business Law Daily Round-Up: December 09, 2025
TAX Service Tax | No Reverse Charge Liability On Software Maintenance Consumed Abroad; Hotel Expenses Not 'Sponsorship Services': CESTAT Bangalore Foreign Markings On Gold Biscuits Not Enough To Prove Smuggling: CESTAT Kolkata Sets Aside Confiscation Staff Reimbursement, Training, And Hospital Management In Joint Venture Not Taxable Under Service Tax: CESTAT Chennai Income Tax Act | Long...
Service Tax | No Reverse Charge Liability On Software Maintenance Consumed Abroad; Hotel Expenses Not 'Sponsorship Services': CESTAT Bangalore
The Customs, Excise & Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT), Bangalore has held that no Service Tax liability can be applied under the reverse charge mechanism on an Indian branch where the software maintenance services were contracted, received and consumed entirely outside India. The Tribunal further held that payments made towards hotel expenses of guests cannot be treated...
Foreign Markings On Gold Biscuits Not Enough To Prove Smuggling: CESTAT Kolkata Sets Aside Confiscation
The Kolkata Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has held that the foreign markings available on the gold biscuits are not sufficient to establish the smuggled nature of the gold. R. Muralidhar (Judicial Member) and K. Anpazhakan (Technical Member) opined that the gold recovered from the assessee was neither established to be of foreign origin...
Staff Reimbursement, Training, And Hospital Management In Joint Venture Not Taxable Under Service Tax: CESTAT Chennai
The Chennai Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has stated that staff reimbursement, training, and hospital management in a joint venture are not taxable under the service tax. P. Dinesha (Judicial Member) and Vasa Seshagiri Rao (Technical Member) stated that the receipts characterised as “royalty”/“management fee” are integrally connected...
Income Tax Act | Long Term Capital Gain On Shares Cannot Be Branded Bogus Without Evidence: ITAT Mumbai
The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), Mumbai has held that long-term capital gains (LTCG) arising from the sale of listed shares cannot be treated as unexplained cash credit under Section 68 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 merely on the basis of general allegations of penny-stock manipulation, when the assessee has supported the transactions with complete documentary evidence. A...
Revenue-Sharing With Diagnostic Labs Not 'Business Support Service': CESTAT Sets Aside Service Tax Demand
The Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT), Chandigarh has held that revenue-sharing arrangements between a hospital and diagnostic service providers (DSPs) do not amount to provision of “Business Support Service” (BSS) under the Finance Act, 1994, and are therefore not liable to service tax. A Division Bench comprising Justice S.S. Garg (Judicial Member) and...
Zinc EDTA Is Fertiliser, Not A Chemical; Lower Customs Duty Applicable: CESTAT Chennai
The Chennai Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has stated that Zinc EDTA is classifiable as a fertiliser under Customs Tariff Item (CTI) 3105 9090, and not a chemical salt under CTI 29224990 as stated by the revenue.Ajayan T.V. (Judicial Member) and Ajit Kumar (Technical Member) noted that Zinc EDTA contains Nitrogen, which is an essential...
Service Tax Not Payable On Royalty Received For Group Companies' Use Of Copyrighted Logo: CESTAT
The Chennai Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has stated that service tax is not payable on royalty received for group companies' use of the copyrighted 'TTK' Logo founded by T.T. Krishnamachari & Co. (assessee). Ajayan T.V. (Judicial Member) and Ajit Kumar (Technical Member) examined whether the demand of service for the 'TTK' logo of the...