Circular No. 15/2022-Customs dated 23 August 2022 

Reference is invited to Circular No. 54/2005-Customs dated December 30, 2005 on guidelines for compounding of offenses under Customs Act read with para 12 of the Circular 27/2015-Customs dated October 23, 2015. 

The Central Government has brought further changes in the Customs (Compounding of Offenses) Rules, 2005 vide Notification No.69/2022 Customs (N.T.) dated August 22, 2022

The salient features of the amendment are as follows:

1. Satisfaction of compounding authority has been limited only to verify and be satisfied that the full and true disclosure of facts has been made by the applicant;
2. The offense under section 135AA of the Customs Act has also been made compoundable. Further, the competent authority has been mandated to grant immunity when offense is only of this type.