C I T JAIPUR vs. M/S SAGUN GEMS PVT LTD

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ITA/210/2012HC RajasthanRJHC02057968201222 August 2012Author: ARUN MISHRA,NARENDRA KUMAR JAIN5 pages
AI SummaryDismissed

What did the High Court hold?

The High Court held that the appeal could only be admitted on a substantial question of law, and it could not interfere with concurrent findings of fact by the lower authorities. The Court examined the orders of the CIT(A) and the ITAT. The CIT(A) had found that Shri Pitambar Sharma invested share capital from the realization of his assets, not from the existing concern. The new plant and machinery were purchased by the concern, and out of 70 employees, only 8 were from the earlier concern. The ITAT concurred with these findings, stating that the assessee company was an independent unit and not a restructured company hit by Section 10-A(2)(ii). Since all questions related to questions of fact with concurrent findings, and no substantial question of law was involved, the appeal was dismissed in limine.

What were the facts?

The assessee, M/s Sagun Gems Pvt. Ltd., engaged in manufacturing and export of gems and silver jewelry, claimed deduction under Section 10-A of the Income Tax Act. The Assessing Officer disallowed this claim. The Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals) allowed the exemption, setting aside the AO's order. The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) dismissed the revenue's appeal against the CIT(A)'s order. The revenue then filed this appeal before the High Court. The core of the dispute revolves around whether the new company was a reconstruction of an old business, thereby disentitling it to the Section 10-A exemption.

What were the issues?

1. Whether the High Court can admit an appeal on questions of fact when the lower authorities have concurrently found facts, as per the settled law that appeals are admitted only on substantial questions of law? Assessee's Contention: Not recorded. Revenue's Contention: The Assessing Officer rightly disallowed the exemption. The Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals) and the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal committed an illegality in setting aside the AO's order. The new company, M/s Sagun Gems Pvt. Ltd., is a reconstruction of an old business and thus not entitled to the exemption under Section 10-A(2)(ii) of the Income Tax Act. 2. Whether M/s Sagun Gems Pvt. Ltd. is a reconstruction of an old business, disentitling it to exemption under Section 10-A(2)(ii) of the Income Tax Act? Assessee's Contention: Not recorded. Revenue's Contention: The new company is a reconstruction of an old business, hit by Section 10-A(2)(ii).

Which sections of the Income-tax Act were involved?

Section 10-A, Section 10A(2)(ii)

AI-generated summary — verify with the full judgment below

Cause title — parties, addresses and appearances
1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE FOR RAJASTHAN JAIPUR BENCH, JAIPUR J U D G M E N T D.B. INCOME TAX APPEAL NO.210/2012 Commissioner of Income Tax-I Vs. M/s Sagun Gems Pvt. Ltd. Date of Judgment: August 22, 2012 PRESENT HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE MR. ARUN MISHRA HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE NARENDRA KUMAR JAIN-I Mr. J.K. Singhi, Sr. Counsel assisted by Mr. O.P. Pareek, for the appellant BY THE COURT(Per Jain J.) Heard learned counsel for the appellant. 2 This income tax appeal is directed against order dated 20th January, 2012 passed by Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, Jaipur Bench 'A', Jaipur, whereby, appeal preferred by revenue/appellant, against

order

of Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals), has been dismissed.

3.

Brief facts of the case are that respondent/assessee was engaged in the business of manufacturing and export of gems and silver jeweleries. The assessee claimed deduction under Section 10-A of the Income Tax Act, which 2 was disallowed

by Assessing

Officer. Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals), on an appeal preferred on behalf of assessee, allowed the exemption, claimed by the assessee and set aside the order of Assessing Officer. Thereafter, Department preferred an appeal before the Tribunal, which has been dismissed. Thereafter, Department has preferred this appeal.

4.

Submission of learned counsel for the appellant is that Assessing Officer rightly disallowed the claim of exemption made by assessee. The Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals) as well as Income Tax Appellate Tribunal both committed an illegality in setting the order of Assessing Officer.

5.

We have considered submissions of learned counsel for the appellant and examined the impugned order of Tribunal as well as orders passed by Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals) and also the Assessing Officer.

6.

The Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals) has considered all the factual aspects of the matter and recorded a finding that it has been brought on record that Shri Pitambar Sharma did not divert the funds from his existing concern to the new company but invested in share capital of M/s Shagun Gems Pvt. Ltd. from realization of his assets other

3 than the capital employed in the firm. Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals) also came to a conclusion that from the bills it is clear that the new plant and machinery was purchased by the concern and further that out of 70 employees in the new concern, only 8 were from the earlier concern. The finding of the Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals) was quoted in Para 5 of the impugned order by the Tribunal, which is again reproduced here for ready reference:- “I have carefully perused the order of the AO and the submissions of the AR. On verification of the facts as submitted by the AR and law as per the judicial pronouncements relied on by him I concur with the submissions of the AR that the claim of exemption u/s 10A was correctly made by the assessee. First of all, it has been brought on record that Shri Pitambar Sharma did not divert the funds from his existing concern to the new company but invested share capital of M/s Shagun Gems Pvt. Ltd. from realization of his assets other than the capital employed in the firm. Secondly, it is clear from the bills submitted that the new plant & machinery was purchased by the concern. Thirdly, out of 70 employees in the new concern, only 8 were from the earlier concern. In view of the above facts, it cannot be concluded that the new company i.e. M/s Shagun Gems Pvt. Ltd. is nothing but reconstruction of old business within the meaning of provisions of section 10A(2)(ii). On the basis of these facts and judicial pronouncements relevant to these facts, the exemption claimed by the assessee u/s 10A of Rs. 94,84,191/- is directed to be allowed.”

4

7.

The above factual aspects and submissions of both the parties were considered by Tribunal in detail and Tribunal also recorded a finding that there is no reason to hold that assessee company is nothing but restructured company of earlier company and is not entitled for exemption. Para 9 of the order of the Tribunal is also reproduced as under:- “9. After considering the orders of the AO, ld. CIT (A) and submissions of both the parties, we find no infirmity in the finding of ld. CIT (A) who has examined the issue and then found that the assessee's case does not bit by provisions of section 10A(2)(ii) of the Act and, therefore, assessee is entitled for deduction under section 10A. Various objections raised by AO as mentioned above have been verified by ld. CIT (A) and found that land and building and machineries are new. Capitals introduced by the Directors are from teir own sources and not by transferring from M/s. Shagun. Out of 70 employees employed by assessee company, only 8 employees were related to M/s Shagun and this is not a reason that for employing the ex-employees of any other company curtails the benefit allowable to the assessee. If by any reason any employee has left the services of any company and joins a new company it does not hold that a new company is a restructured company of the earlier company from where the employee has left the services. There is no bar to sale the goods to the customers which were purchasing the goods from other entity i.e. M/s. Shagun. The assessee company is an independent unit doing its own activity

of manufacturing

and thereafter the material has been sold on the basis of market price. Therefore, there is no reason to hold that assessee

company

is a restructured company of earlier and hit by provisions of section 10A(2) (ii) of the Act. In view of these

5 facts and circumstances, we hold that ld. CIT (A) was justified in allowing the issue in favour of the assessee. Accordingly, we confirm his order.”

8.

The finding of Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals) as well as Tribunal and other facts and circumstances of the present case, narrated and discussed above, make it clear that all these questions are relating to questions of facts and there is a concurrent finding of facts recorded by Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals) as well as Income Tax Appellate Tribunal. '

9.

It is a settled law that income tax appeal can be admitted by this Court only on substantial question of law. This Court cannot interfere in the finding of fact recorded by courts below.

10.

Since no substantial questions of law are involved in this appeal, therefore, we are not inclined to admit it and the same is,

accordingly dismissed in limine.

(NARENDRA KUMAR JAIN-I),J. (ARUN MISHRA),CJ.

BKS/-

“All corrections made in the judgment/order have been incorporated in the judgment/order being emailed.” B.K. SHRIVASTAVA PRIVATE SECRETARY

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