Sec. 68 & 129 of the Central Goods & Services Tax Act, 2017 — Goods In Transit/Penalty — The petitioner is engaged in the establishment of infrastructure for cellular telephone Companies, meaning the erection and activation of towers and other infrastructure for effective services of the mobile companies. The petitioner for the purpose of such installation had imported from other States, batteries, which were stored in its godowns at Ernakulam. These were to be installed in two sites at Gandhinagar at Kadavanthara and at Ambalappuzha. The vehicle in which the transport was made was detained. On examination of the documents, it was found that the goods were accompanied with a delivery challan as provided under Rule 55 of the Kerala Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017. However, the declaration as required under Rule 138 being KER-I, was not seen uploaded or the print out accompanied with the goods. The detaining officer issued a notice at Ext.P3 detaining the goods against which the writ petitioner was before this Court. In the other appeal the writ petitioner, dealer in surgical gloves, sent the goods for quality appraisal on job-works and was transporting the same to their business premises for further sale; when the vehicle was detained.
       The learned Single Judge looked into the provisions defining taxable person and taxable supply as also Section 7 detailing the scope of supply to find that when a taxable person transports goods procured by them for own use to the site, where the goods are to be consumed, the transaction is not for consideration and would not even fall within the scope of Schedule I. Schedule I enumerates those activities, though made without consideration, which fall within the scope of supply. The delivery challan which accompanied the goods had not been disputed and hence the transaction even according to the detaining officer would not fall within the scope of a taxable supply, was the finding. In such circumstances, the goods can be said to have been detained only for the infraction, insofar as a declaration under Rule 138 (KER-I) having not been uploaded and accompanied with the transport. As a consequence of the aforesaid finding, the goods were directed to be released unconditionally; finding the action under Section 129 to be without jurisdiction.
       Hon'ble Kerala High Court while allowing the appeal of the department held that:- In both the instances, the assessee had known that the transport was one where there was no tax liability to the goods and had also issued a delivery challan under Rule 55. When a delivery challan is issued under Rule 55, it is a mandate under sub-rule (3) of Rule 55 that there should be a declaration as specified in Rule 138. The fact that there was no such declaration uploaded in the site as an intimation to the Department of the transport of such goods raises a reasonable presumption of attempt to evade tax, against the respondents herein. We cannot agree with the learned Single Judge that merely because there was no suspicion raised against the delivery challan there is an admission of non-taxability of the goods transported. The finding that the transaction would not fall within the scope of taxable supply under the statute, cannot be sustained for reason of there being no declaration made under Rule 138. The resultant finding that mere infraction of the procedural rules cannot result in Goods in Transit though they may result in imposition of penalty cannot also be sustained. If the conditions under the Act and Rules are not complied with, definitely Section 129 operates and confiscation would be attracted. The respondents are entitled to an adjudication, but they would have to prove that in fact there was a declaration made under Rule 138 before the transport commenced. If they do prove that aspect, they would be absolved of the liability; otherwise, they would definitely be required to satisfy the tax and penalty as available under Section 129. We, hence, vacate the judgment of the learned Single Judge and allow the appeal. The vehicle and the goods having been already released unconditionally, further notice shall be issued and the adjudication under sub-section (3) completed; upon which if penalty is imposed, definitely the respondents would have to satisfy the same.[2018] 51 TUD 255 (KER)