INDIAN OXYGEN LTD. vs COLLECTOR OF CENTRAL EXCISE.

The Supreme Court held that under Section 4(1)(a) and Section 4(4)(d)(i) of the Central Excises and Salt Act, 1944, the cost of transportation from the factory to the depot cannot be included in the computation of the assessable value of excisable goods. The Court emphasized that when the wholesale price is ascertainable at the factory gate, transportation charges are irrelevant for duty assessment. The Tribunal's decision to remand the case for reassessment based on actual evidence was upheld, clarifying that delivery and collection charges are not related to manufacturing and must be excluded from the assessable value.