Admitted monetary benefit must be released promptly, with compensatory interest for unlawful retention after enforceability.

Conversion of the Special Imprest Licence into a Project Import Licence was treated as curing the underlying grievance, so no further relief was available on the wider Cash Compensatory Support claim, including any belatedly produced material supporting a larger entitlement. However, the department had already accepted a quantified CCS amount as payable, and that admitted sum could not be withheld without lawful basis after the High Court's order. Continued retention of that amount justified compensatory interest from the date the entitlement became enforceable until actual payment, reflecting the principle that an admitted monetary benefit must be released promptly once withholding loses legal support.

---

---

Issues: (i) Whether the appellant was entitled to release of the admitted Cash Compensatory Support claim after the High Court had held that the forfeiture order was uncalled for and the Special Imprest Licence had been converted into a Project Import Licence. (ii) Whether the appellant was entitled to interest on the amount found payable and retained by the department.

Issue (i): Whether the appellant was entitled to release of the admitted Cash Compensatory Support claim after the High Court had held that the forfeiture order was uncalled for and the Special Imprest Licence had been converted into a Project Import Licence.

Analysis: The subsequent conversion of the licence into a Project Import Licence substantially remedied the grievance arising from the mistaken licence conditions. The Court held that, in the changed circumstances, no further relief could be granted on the appellant's broader CCS claim, including the belatedly produced certificate said to support a larger entitlement. At the same time, the record showed that a quantified CCS amount had already been found payable by the department, and there was no justification for withholding that admitted amount after the High Court's order.

Conclusion: The appellant was not granted any further CCS beyond the amount already determined as due, but the admitted CCS amount was held payable and directed to be released.

Issue (ii): Whether the appellant was entitled to interest on the amount found payable and retained by the department.

Analysis: Once the department had no lawful basis to retain the admitted CCS amount after the High Court's order, continued withholding of that amount warranted compensatory interest. The Court accepted the appellant's claim for interest from the date of the High Court judgment until actual payment.

Conclusion: The appellant was held entitled to interest at 9% per annum from 7 April 2006 till actual payment.

Final Conclusion: The appeal succeeded only to the extent of securing release of the CCS amount found due with interest, while any larger or additional CCS claim remained outside the relief granted.

Ratio Decidendi: Where the department retains an admitted monetary benefit without lawful justification, the beneficiary is entitled to release of that amount with compensatory interest from the date the entitlement became enforceable.

---