Baba Contractors and Engineers v. Union of India

Where during search and seizure proceedings at business and partners' premises, substantial tax was extracted from petitioner via ITC reversal and cash entries before any show cause notice or voluntary acknowledgment, and contemporaneous records or safeguards for voluntary compliance were absent, such payment was not considered voluntary and retention of amount was unsustainable, necessitating refund of recovered amount.

Where petitioner claimed interest on refund amount alleging unauthorised recovery during search but investigation was still pending, no show cause notice was issued and no adjudication completed, entitlement to interest was premature, so grant of interest was declined pending final determination of liability after investigation, without prejudice to parties' rights on eventual outcome