The argument that the income of the non-resident had not been received in India is not acceptable. The agreement provided that the charter fee of $600,000 was “payable by way of 85% of gross earning from the fish-sales“. The chartered vessels with the entire catch were brought to the Indian Port, the catch was certified for human consumption, valued, and after customs and port clearance and the non-resident received 85% of the catch. So long the catch was not apportioned the entire catch was the property of the assessee and not of non-resident company as the latter did not have any control over the catch. It is after the non-resident company was given share of its 85% of the catch it did come within its control. It is trite to say that to constitute income the recipient must have control over it. As the apportionment was in India, the non-resident effectively received the charter-fee in India. This being the first receipt in the eye of law and being in India was chargeable to tax u/s 5(2)
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