2019 (10) TMI 1276

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....e a common issue arises with regard to the legality of the action of the respondents in summoning the petitioners to Jamnagar in connection with an enquiry stated to have been undertaken by the respondents in relation to the export activities of the petitioners, the writ petitions are taken up together for consideration and disposed by this common judgment. 2. The petitioners are a Company and a Partnership firm respectively, engaged in the business of export of seafood. It would appear that they had exported seafood under an Expert Promotion Scheme known as "Merchandise Exports from India Scheme" [MEIS] and the exports were effected through the Calicut and Cochin Airports. The respondents initiated an investigation into the transactions....

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....he whole of India, and the investigating agency is functioning at the centralised location. It is therefore that the respondents insisted on the petitioners appearance in Jamnagar, where the investigation was initiated, since the Officers of the said Unit are more familiar with the background of the offence being investigated. The respondents would also rely on the decision of the Supreme Court in Dukhishyam Benupani, Asstt. Director, Enforcement Directorate (FERA) v. Arun Kumar Bajoria - [AIR 1998 SC 696] to justify the summons issued to the petitioners and to point out that this Court should not interfere with the choice of venue of the investigating agency. 4. I have heard Sri.Anil D. Nair, the learned counsel fro the petitioners in b....