Dominant issue: whether seized demat accounts, attached under...

Dominant issue: whether seized demat accounts, attached under Section 37A for alleged contravention of Section 4 of the Act of 1999, may be substituted by a fixed deposit (FD) of equivalent value to secure the claimed amount. Reasoning: seizure aimed to secure an equivalent sum; substitution by an FD equally secures the respondents' interest, is equitable, and permits the appellants to pursue compounding with the RBI; the FD remains subject to final adjudication and any compounding outcome. Outcome: seizure lifted on furnishing an FD of equivalent value, held with lien and subject to adjudication and RBI compounding results. - AT