CGST Section 129: Detention, Seizure, Release of Goods/ Conveyances in Transit

Provisions under Section 129 of the CGST Act 2017 relating to “Detention, Seizure and Release of Goods and Conveyances in Transit”:

Section 129: Detention, Seizure and Release of Goods and Conveyances in Transit (CHAPTER XIX: OFFENCES AND PENALTIES) [*1]

(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, where any person transports any goods or stores any goods while they are in transit in contravention of the provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder, all such goods and conveyance used as a means of transport for carrying the said goods and documents relating to such goods and conveyance shall be liable to detention or seizure and after detention or seizure, shall be released,–

(a) on payment of penalty equal to two hundred per cent. of the tax payable on such goods and, in case of exempted goods, on payment of an amount equal to two per cent. of the value of goods or twenty-five thousand rupees, whichever is less, where the owner of the goods comes forward for payment of such penalty; [*3(a)]

(b) on payment of penalty equal to fifty per cent. of the value of the goods or two hundred per cent. of the tax payable on such goods, whichever is higher, and in case of exempted goods, on payment of an amount equal to five per cent. of the value of goods or twenty-five thousand rupees, whichever is less, where the owner of the goods does not come forward for payment of such penalty; [*3(a)]

(c) upon furnishing a security equivalent to the amount payable under clause (a) or clause (b) in such form and manner as may be prescribed:

Provided that no such goods or conveyance shall be detained or seized without serving an order of detention or seizure on the person transporting the goods.

(2) [*3(b)]

(3) The proper officer detaining or seizing goods or conveyance shall issue a notice within seven days of such detention or seizure, specifying the penalty payable, and thereafter, pass an order within a period of seven days from the date of service of such notice, for payment of penalty under clause (a) or clause (b) of sub-section (1). [*3(c)]

(4) No penalty [*3(d)] shall be determined under sub-section (3) without giving the person concerned an opportunity of being heard.

(5) On payment of amount referred in sub-section (1), all proceedings in respect of the notice specified in sub-section (3) shall be deemed to be concluded.

(6) Where the person transporting any goods or the owner of such goods fails to pay the amount of penalty under sub-section (1) within fifteen days from the date of receipt of the copy of the order passed under sub-section (3), the goods or conveyance so detained or seized shall be liable to be sold or disposed of otherwise, in such manner and within such time as may be prescribed, to recover the penalty payable under sub-section (3): [*3(e)]

Provided that the conveyance shall be released on payment by the transporter of penalty under sub-section (3) or one lakh rupees, whichever is less:

Provided further that where the detained or seized goods are perishable or hazardous in nature or are likely to depreciate in value with passage of time, the said period of fifteen days may be reduced by the proper officer.

Notes (History of Amendments in Bare Text):

1. CGST Section 129 introduced vide GOI Notification dated 12/04/2017, followed with CBEC Notification 9/2017 on commencement date of 01/07/2017.

2. In sub-section (6), the text ‘seven’ substituted with the text ‘fourteen’ vide section 127 of the CGST (Amendment) Act, 2018, followed with Notification 2/2019 on commencement date of 01/02/2019. [*3(e)]

3. Amendments vide Section 117 of the Finance Act 2021, followed with Notification 39/2021 on commencement date of 01/01/2022:

(a) Clauses (a) and (b) in sub-section (1) substituted. Please refer Notification dated 12/04/2017 for text thereof before substitution.

(b) Sub-section (2) omitted. Please refer Notification dated 12/04/2017 for text thereof before omission.

(c) Sub-section (3) substituted. Please refer Notification dated 12/04/2017 for text thereof before substitution.

(d) In sub-section (4), the text “No tax, interest or penalty” substituted with the text “No penalty”.

(e) Sub-section (6) substituted. Please refer Notification dated 12/04/2017 for text thereof along with CGST (Amendment) Act, 2018 [*2] for amendment therein before substitution.