Coercive recovery during search proceedings required judicial consideration; HC issued rule without deciding the merits.

Allegations that amounts were recovered during search proceedings by compelling the petitioners to make deposits, despite an asserted undertaking that the deposits were voluntary, were treated as requiring judicial consideration. The HC did not decide the merits of the coercive recovery dispute and instead issued rule, returnable on 1 July 2024.

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Issues: Whether the petitioners were compelled to make a deposit during search proceedings and whether the coercive recovery complained of required judicial consideration.

Analysis: The matters concerned allegations that amounts were recovered during the course of search by compelling the petitioners to deposit them with an undertaking that the deposit was voluntary. The Court found that the matters required consideration and directed issuance of rule returnable on a future date.

Outcome: Rule issued returnable on 1 July 2024. No final adjudication was made on the merits of the controversy.

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