Detained goods cannot be withheld for warehouse charges alone; separate lawful recovery remains available.

Customs authorities could not withhold release of detained gold chains merely because warehouse charges or ground rent had not been paid, where prior directions required release on deposit of customs duty and penalty. The detention was held inconsistent with law, and the goods were ordered to be released without insisting on prior payment of such charges. The authorities' right to recover permissible ground rent or warehouse charges through separate proceedings in accordance with law was preserved.

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Issues: Whether the customs authorities could withhold release of the gold chains on the ground that warehouse charges or ground rent had not been paid, despite prior directions to release the goods on deposit of customs duty and penalty.

Analysis: The release directions earlier issued were noted, along with the petitioners' assertion that customs duty and penalty had already been deposited. The detention of the goods was found to be not in consonance with law, and the authorities were not permitted to keep back the articles on the premise that warehouse charges had to be paid first. At the same time, the authorities' right to recover permissible ground rent or warehouse charges by a separate action in accordance with law was left open.

Conclusion: The customs authorities were directed to release the gold chains to the petitioners within one week without insisting on prior payment of ground rent or warehouse charges, while retaining liberty to recover such charges separately in accordance with law.

Final Conclusion: The petitioners obtained immediate release of the detained goods, and the dispute regarding warehouse charges was confined to independent recovery proceedings.

Ratio Decidendi: Goods whose detention is not legally sustainable cannot be withheld merely to secure payment of warehouse charges, though the authorities may pursue separate lawful recovery of such charges.

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