Validity of parallel investigation by State and Central GST Authorities.

Mere pendency of proceedings before the State authorities is not a ground to restrain the Central authorities from issuing summons and conduct investigation. Petitioner must establish that subject matter is one and the same to take the benefit of section 6(2)(b) of the Act: High Court

Petitioner

The pertinent question raised by the petitioner is that under Section 6(2)(b) of the Act, "where a proper officer under the State Goods and Services Tax Act or the Union Territory Goods and Services Tax Act has initiated any proceedings on a subject matter, no proceedings shall be initiated by the proper officer under this Act on the same subject matter.”

Relying on the said prohibitory clause, the learned Senior counsel made a submission that notice for intimating discrepancies in the return after some scrutiny, was issued by the State authorities to the petitioner on 17.12.2020 and the proceedings are in progress. While so, Central authorities are bound to wait till the conclusion of the proceedings initiated by the State officials under the State Goods and Services Tax Act and thus, the summons issued by the respondent is without jurisdiction.

Revenue

The learned Senior Panel counsel appearing on behalf of the respondent disputed the contentions raised by the petitioner by stating that the writ petitioner has already filed four writ petitions and stalling entire investigation process by one way or other and he is not co-operating for the continuance and completion of the investigation process in respect of IGST. It is contended that the State action regarding the scrutiny proceedings of the return filed by the petitioner and the impugned summons are issued by the Central authorities under Section 70 of the Act regarding IGST. Therefore, these two are unconnected and as per the provisions, if the subject matter is one and the same, then alone, the proceedings needs to be kept in abeyance and not otherwise.

Revenue further states that the petitioner is having the habit of filing writ petition after writ petition, challenging every summon issued by the respondent and prolonging and protracting the investigation.

High Court

This Court is of the considered opinion that the writ petitioner has approached this Court on every stage, which would reveal that he is attempting to prolong the proceedings, instead of defending his case by producing documents and evidences and established his case or otherwise. Thus, such a conduct of filing writ petition after writ petition, challenging the summons and proceedings intermittently cannot be appreciated by this Court.

Let us consider the scope of Section 6(2)(b) of the Act. It contemplates that “where a proper officer under the State Goods and Services Tax Act or the Union Territory Goods and Services Tax Act has initiated any proceedings on a subject matter, no proceedings shall be initiated by the proper officer under this Act on the same subject matter”. Therefore, subjects proposed to be dealt with by the State authorities as well as the Central authorities must be one and the same to avail the benefit of Section 6(2)(b) of the Act.

Even in such circumstances, if the aggrieved person is of an opinion that the subjects are one and the same, it is for him to establish the same before the competent authority by producing the records. Contrarily, such an adjudication in detail, cannot be conducted by the High Court in a writ proceedings under Article 226 of the Constitution of India.

Various business transactions, its intricacies, the manner in which the accounting system is followed and the taxes paid, are to be elaborately scrutinized by the Department officials, who are having expertise in the subject. Such an adjudication, if entertained by the High Court, undoubtedly, there is a possibility of error, commission or omission at the instance of either of the parties and more over, based on the mere affidavit or counter affidavit filed by the parties, High Court cannot make a finding in respect of such disputed facts or issues. The very purpose and object of the Statute is to ensure that the investigation and proceedings are conducted in the manner known to law and then only, the truth may be culled out and during the process, the persons aggrieved are bound to establish their innocence or otherwise by producing the documents, evidences etc., Contrarily, intervention during the intermittent period by the High Court at the stage of summon, undoubtedly, would paralyze the entire proceedings, which is not desirable and even in such cases, where there are certain factual similarities or otherwise, the same is to be established by the person aggrieved by producing all original documents, evidences, etc.,

It is to be established that subject matter is one and the same. Mere pendency of proceedings before the State authorities is not a ground to restrain the Central authorities from issuing summons and conduct investigation regarding certain allegations. Therefore, all these factors require an adjudication before the competent authority and if the summons are kept in abeyance at this stage, the same would paralyze the entire proceedings, which is not only desirable, but would cause prejudice to the interest of the Revenue in the present case.

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