28. Notice for payment of duties, interest etc. — (1) When any duty has not been levied or has been short-levied or erroneously refunded, or when any interest payable has not been paid, part paid or erroneously refunded, the proper officer may, - (a) in the case of any import made by any individual for his personal use or by Government or by any educational, research or charitable institution or hospital, within one year; (b) in any other case, within six months, from the relevant date, serve notice on the person chargeable with the duty or interest which has not been levied or charged or which has been so short-levied or part paid or to whom the refund has erroneously been made, requiring him to show cause why he should not pay the amount specified in the notice : Provided that where any duty has not been levied or has been short-levied or the interest has not been charged or has been part paid or the duty or interest has been erroneously refunded by reason of collusion or any willful miss-statement or suppression of facts by the importer or the exporter or the agent or employee of the importer or exporter, the provisions of this sub- shall have effect as if for the words “one year” and “six months”, the words “five years” were substituted. Explanation. - Where the service of the notice is stayed by an order of a court, the period of such stay shall be excluded in computing the aforesaid period of one year or six months or five years, as the case may be. (1A) When any duty has not been levied or has been short-levied or the interest has not been charged or has been part paid or the duty or interest has been erroneously refunded by reason of collusion or any wilful mis-statement or suppression of facts by the importer or the exporter or the agent or employee of the importer or exporter, to whom a notice is served under the proviso to sub- (1) by the proper officer, may pay duty in full or in part as may be accepted by him, and the interest payable thereon under 28AB and penalty equal to twenty-five per cent of the duty specified in the notice or the duty so accepted by such person within thirty days of the receipt of the notice. (2) The proper officer, after considering the representation, if any, made by the person on whom notice is served under sub- (1), shall determine the amount of duty or interest due from such person (not being in excess of the amount specified in the notice) and thereupon such person shall pay the amount so determined. Provided that if such person has paid the duty in full together with interest and penalty under sub- (1A), the proceedings in respect of such person and other persons to whom notice is served under sub- (1) shall, without prejudice to the provisions of s 135, 135A and 140, be deemed to be conclusive as to the matters stated therein : Provided further that, if such person has paid duty in part, interest and penalty under sub- (1A), the proper officer shall determine the amount of duty or interest not being in excess of the amount partly due from such person. (2A) Where any notice has been served on a person under sub- (1), the proper officer, — (i) in case any duty has not been levied or has been short-levied, or the interest has not been paid or has been part paid or the duty or interest has been erroneously refunded by reason of collusion or any wilful mis-statement or suppression of facts, where it is possible to do so, shall determine the amount of such duty or the interest, within a period of one year; and (ii) in any other case, where it is possible to do so, shall determine the amount of duty which has not been levied or has been short-levied or erroneously refunded or the interest payable which has not been paid, part paid or erroneously refunded, within a period of six months, from the date of service of the notice on the person under sub- (1). (2B) Where any duty has not been levied or has been short-levied or erroneously refunded, or any interest payable has not been paid, part paid or erroneously refunded, the person, chargeable with the duty or the interest, may pay the amount of duty or interest before service of notice on him under sub- (1) in respect of the duty or the interest, as the case may be, and inform the proper officer of such payment in writing, who, on receipt of such information, shall not serve any notice under sub- (1) in respect of the duty or the interest so paid : Provided that the proper officer may determine the amount of short-payment of duty or interest, if any, which in his opinion has not been paid by such person and, then, the proper officer shall proceed to recover such amount in the manner specified in this , and the period of “one year” or “six months” as the case may be, referred to in sub- (1) shall be counted from the date of receipt of such information of payment. Explanation 1. - Nothing contained in this sub- shall apply in a case where the duty was not levied or was not paid or the interest was not paid or was part paid or the duty or interest was erroneously refunded by reason of collusion or any wilful mis-statement or suppression of facts by the importer or the exporter or the agent or employee of the importer or exporter. Explanation 2. - For the removal of doubts, it is hereby declared that the interest under 28AB shall be payable on the amount paid by the person under this sub- and also on the amount of short-payment of duty, if any, as may be determined by the proper officer, but for this sub-. (2C) The provisions of sub- (2B) shall not apply to any case where the duty or the interest had become payable or ought to have been paid before the date on which the Finance Bill, 2001 receives the assent of the President. (3) For the purposes of sub- (1), the expression “relevant date” means - (a) in a case where duty is not levied, or interest is not charged, the date on which the proper officer makes an order for the clearance of the goods; (b) in a case where duty is provisionally assessed under 18, the date of adjustment of duty after the final assessment thereof; (c) in a case where duty or interest has been erroneously refunded, the date of refund; (d) in any other case, the date of payment of duty or interest. | 
