17 July 1986
Supreme Court
Download

STATE OF H.P. Vs TARSEM SINGH

Bench: MUKHARJI,SABYASACHI (J)
Case number: C.A. No.-004979-004979 / 1995
Diary number: 17712 / 1994
Advocates: NARESH K. SHARMA Vs LAXMI ARVIND


1

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 1 of 11  

PETITIONER: COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX, HARYANA,HIMACHAL PRADESH & DELHI

       Vs.

RESPONDENT: TARSEM KUMAR & ANR.

DATE OF JUDGMENT17/07/1986

BENCH: MUKHARJI, SABYASACHI (J) BENCH: MUKHARJI, SABYASACHI (J) PATHAK, R.S.

CITATION:  1986 AIR 1477            1986 SCR  (3) 294  1986 SCC  (3) 489        JT 1986   220  1986 SCALE  (2)47

ACT:      Search and Seizure-seizure amount in custody of customs authorities-Court  directing   the  customs  authorities  to return the  amount to the respondent-Whether the said amount could be  seized by the Income-tax authorities under section 132 of  the Income  tax Act,  1961 read with Rule 112(II) of the Income  Tax Act,  1962  from  the  customs  authorities- Whether it  militates the  provisions of  section 110(II) of the Customs Act, 1962-Words and phrases-Meaning of "Search", "Seizure" and "Possession", explained.

HEADNOTE:      On  23rd   August,  1970,   when  the   respondent  was travelling by  car, alleged  to be belonging to his brother, from Ambala  to Batala,  the Customs officer intercepted him near the  Beas river  and  forcibly  taken  along  with  the driver, Gurunam  Singh to the Customs House at Amritsar. The respondent along  with  the  driver  was  searched  and  the customs authorities took into possession Rs.33,500 in Indian currency, 10  gold  sovereigns  and  the  car  in  which  he travelled.  The  Customs  authorities,  thereupon  initiated departmental  proceedings   under  section  110(II)  of  the Customs Act,  1962 and extended the period of issuing of the show-cause notice  under section  124 of  the  Customs  Act, 1962. These  proceedings were  quashed by  an order  of  the Learned Single  Judge of  the High  Court of  Punjab on 24th April, 1372  following an  earlier decision  of that  Court. After the  said  judgment,  the  respondent  approached  the customs authorities  for the return of the money and the car on 11.5.1972.  The gold sovereigns were not demanded because ac cording to the respondent these did not belong to him. He had been  directed to  come on the following day to get back the currency notes and the car. On the next day, however the Income Tax officer served the warrant of authorisation dated 10th May,  1972 issued  under section  132 of the Income Tax Act, read  with Rule  112(II) of the Rules on the respondent as well  as on  the customs  department with  the result the cash was  taken possession of by the Income Tax authorities. Thereafter 295 the respondent filed another writ petition under Article 226

2

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 2 of 11  

and 227  of A the Constitution. The customs authorities also filed an  appeal against  the decision  of the  Single Judge dated 24th  April, 1972.  The writ  petition and  the appeal were heard  together by  a Division Bench of the Punjab High Court. Dismissing  the appeal and allowing the writ petition the High  Court held that where the amount was seized by the customs authorities  and the seizure was held illegal by the Court customs  authorities were bound to return the money to the person  entitled to  it under the relevant provisions of section 110  of the  Customs Act,  1962; that the Income Tax authorities could  not seize such an amount from the customs authorities under  section 132  of the  Income Tax  Act  and authorisation of search and seizure was illegal if issued in the name  of the  person who  did not have possession of the Article in respect of which it was issued. Hence this appeal by the revenue by special leave.      Dismissing the appeal, the Court, ^      HELD: 1.1  on a  construction of  section 132 of Income Tax Act,  1961 and the context, in which the words "search", "possession", and  "seizure" have  been  used  in  the  said section and  the rules  indicate that  there cannot  be  any order in  respect of  goods or moneys or papers which are in the custody  of another  department  under  legal  authority where  the  location  of  the  property  was  known  to  the Government  one   government  department  could  not  search another department and seize them. [301E-F]      1.2 Sub-Section  (3) of section 132 of the Act uses the expression  "who  is  in  immediate  possession  or  control thereof". "Possession"  is a  word of  ambiguous meaning and its legal  senses do  not always  coincide with  the popular sense. Possession  again may  not always  be synonymous with manual detention  or physical  retention  of  the  goods  or moneys. When  the physical  custody of  the moneys and goods were with  the customs  authorities, and that too by a legal sanction and  authority to  have that  custody, it cannot be said that  possession as  used in section 132 of the Act was still with the respondent Tarsem Kumar. [30 1F-H]      1.3 Reading  the expressions  "retention" and "custody" in some  of the  sub-sections of  section 132 in the context these have  been used,  it cannot  be said,  that  where  an authority or  a person  has retention  and custody  with the legal sanction  behind it,  it was  not the intention of the legislature  to  say  that  he  was  not  in  possession  as contemplated in  section 132  of the  Income Tax  Act, 1961. [302A-B] 296      The Commissioner  of Income  Tax v.  Ramesh  Chander  & Ors., 93  ITR  450  PunJab;  Tarsem  Kumar  &  Anr.  v.  The Commissioner of  Income Tax,  Haryana,  Himachal  Pradesh  & Delhi &  ors., 94 ITR 567; Laxmipat Chororia v. K.K. Ganguli JUDGMENT:      Motilal and  ors. v.  Preventive Intelligence  officer, Central  Excise  and  Customs,  Agra  &  Ors.,  80  ITR  418 Allahabad, distinguished and partly overruled.      Noor Mohd.  Rahimatulla Gillani  v. The Commissioner of Income-tax Vidrabha  and Marathwada,  Nagpurand Anr., [1976] Taxation Law  Reports, 688,  Bombay; Pannalal  v. Income Tax officer, Ward.  Chhindwara and  ors., 93  ITR p.  480 Madhya Pradesh; Gulab  and Company  and Anr.  v. Superintendent  of Central Excise  (Preventive) Trichy,  and ors.,  98 ITR  581 Madras; Assainar and Anr. v. Income-tax officer, Calicut and ors., 101 ITR 854 Kerala, overruled.      1.4 It  is true that in the instant case, the title was not transferred  to the Customs authorities by seizure under

3

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 3 of 11  

the  Customs   Act.  But   in  the  context,  in  which  the expressions "possession"  and "seizure"  have been  used, it cannot be  considered to  mean that the possession was where the legal  title  was,  physical  possession  was  with  the Customs authorities,  title was  with the respondent herein. In this  context, the  physical possession  having regard to the  language   used  is  relevant  and  material.  Physical possession was with the Customs authorities when the seizure authorisation  was   passed.  Therefore,   where  the  exact location of  the property was known and there was no need to seize the  money, the  Income tax  department  could  direct handing over the money to the Income-tax authorities or take steps for such direction through appropriate authorities and not by  resort to section 132 of the Income Tax Act. This is so because  if the  location  was  certain  then  there  was nothing to search or look for. [304G-H; 305A-B]      1.5 The  lacuna in  the law  having  been  subsequently filled in by introducing section 132A of the Act with effect from October,  1975, it  will be  open  to  the  income  tax authorities  to  approach  the  appropriate  authorities  to realise any  amount of  money or  to recover  any  books  of account or documents in accordance with the law. [307D-E]

&      CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Civil Appeal No.1666 (NT) of 1974. 297      From the  judgment and  order dated 26th November, 1973 of the  A Punjab & Haryana High Court in Civil Writ No. 3355 of 1972.      S.C. Manchanda,  M.B. Rai and Ms. A. Subhashini for the Appellants.      Harbans Singh for the Respondents.      The Judgment of the Court was delivered by      SABYASACHI MIJKHARJI,  J. This  appeal  is  by  special leave from  a judgment  and order of Punjab and Haryana High Court  in   an  application   under  article   226  of   the Constitution. The  judgment in  question is  reported in  94 I.T.R. 567.  By a petition under articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution the  order of  the Income  Tax Department dated 10th May,  1972, passed  under section 132 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 (hereinafter called the ’Act’) and Rule 112(II) of the Income-tax  Rules, 1962 (hereinafter called the ’Rules’) was challenged.  The division bench by the impugned judgment allowed  the   petition,  quashed  the  search  and  seizure warrants and  directed the  Income-Tax Department  to return the moneys  to the  Customs  authorities  and  gave  certain consequential directions.  In order to appreciate the points involved, it is necessary to refer to certain facts as found by the  High Court.  On 23rd  August,  1970  the  petitioner before the  High Court,  who is  the  respondent  here,  was travelling by  car, alleged  to be  belonging to his brother from Ambala  to Batala.  He was  intercepted near  the  Beas river by  the Customs  officer and  was forcibly taken along with the  driver, Gurnam  Singh, to  the  Customs  House  at Amritsar.  The  said  petitioner  in  that  application  was searched along  with his  driver and the Customs authorities took into  possesion Rs.93,500  in Indian  currency, 10 gold sovereigns and  the car.  On  the  24th  August,  1970,  the petitioner was produced before a Duty Magistrate at Amritsar and  was   granted  bail.   In  the  meantime,  the  Customs department took  proceedings under  section  110(2)  of  the Customs Act,  1962 and extended the period of issuing of the

4

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 4 of 11  

show cause  notice under  section 124  of the  Customs  Act, 1962. These proceedings were challenged in the High Court by Writ Petition  and the  order of the Customs authority under section 110(2) was quashed by an order of the learned single judge of  the High  Court on  24th April,  1972. The  appeal against that  decision was  dismissed by  the division bench along with  this petition  by the High Court. After the said judgment of  the learned  single judge,  the respondent  had approached the Customs authorities for the return of H 298 the money and the car. The gold sovereigns were not demanded be cause  according to  the said  petitioner, these  did not belong to him. He had been directed to come on the following day to  get back  the currency  notes and  the car.  In  the meantime on  12th May,  1972  the  Income-tax  officer,  had served the  warrant of  authorisation dated  10th May,  1972 issued under  section 132 of the Act and rule 112(II) of the Rules  on   the  respondent   as  well  as  on  the  Customs department, with  the result  that only  the cash  was taken possession of by the income tax authorities. Thereafter, the respondent filed  the petition under articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution  before the  High Court in respect of which the judgment impugned here was rendered.      It was  submitted that  the authorisation  warrant  was illegal, be  cause the  money was  not in his possession but was in  the possession  of the  Customs authorities.  It was secondly urged  that the  action  taken  by  the  Income-tax authorities under  section 132  of  the  Act  militated  the provisions of  section 110(2)  of the  Customs Act. The High Court  felt   that  so  far  as  the  first  contention  was concerned, it was concluded by the decision of the said High Court in  The Commissioner of Income-tax v. Ramesh Chander & Ors., 93  I.T.R. 450  (Pb). The  High Court  relied  on  the following observations at pages 478-479 of the report:           "I have come to the conclusion that the search and           seizure warrants  issued under  sub-section (1) of           section 132  of the  Income-tax Act  were illegal,           firstly, because  the search  and seizure warrants           were issued  in the  name of Ramesh Chander and he           was in  fact  not  in  possession  of  either  the           currency notes or account books, and secondly, the           income  tax   authorities  could   not  seize  the           currency notes  and account  books from the police           officer who is duty bound to proceed with the case           property in accordance with the pro visions of the           Code of Criminal Procedure."      The High Court held that where the amount was seized by the Customs  authorities and the seizure was held illegal by the Court,  Customs authorities  were bound  to  return  the money to  the person  entitled  to  it  under  the  relevant provisions of  section 110  of the  Customs Act,  1962.  The Income-tax authorities  could not  seize such an amount from the Customs  authorities  under  section  132  of  the  Act. Moreover, the  authorisation was  illegal if  issued in  the name of  the person  who did  not  have  possession  of  the article, in  respect of  which it was issued. The High Court further held that in the facts and circum- 299 stances of  the case  the order under section 132 of the Act was not   Justified.Therefore,  the High Court held that the search and  seizure warrants  were liable  to be quashed and the money  returned to  the customs department. The judgment of the High Court is reported in 94 I.T.R. 567. The validity of the judgment is impugned in this appeal.      It is  necessary in order to appreciate the contentions

5

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 5 of 11  

urged in  this case  to refer  to the relevant provisions of section 132  of the  Act. Sub-section  ( I)  of section  132 provides as follows:           "Search and  Seizure-(1)  Where  the  Director  of           Inspection or the Commissioner [or any such Deputy           Director of  Inspection  or  Inspecting  Assistant           Commissioner as may be empowered in this behalf by           the Board,]  in consequence  of information in his           possession, has reason to believe that           (a)  any  person  to  whom  a  summons  under  sub                section (1)  of  section  37  of  the  Indian                Income-tax Act,  1922 (XI  of 1922), or under                sub-section (1)  of section  131 of this Act,                or a  notice under sub section (4) of section                22 of  the Indian  Income Tax  Act, 1922,  or                under sub-section (1)  of section 112 of this                Act was  issued to  produce or  cause  to  be                produced  any   books  of  account  or  other                documents has  omitted or  failed to produce,                or  cause  to  be  produced,  such  books  of                account or  other documents  as  required  by                such summons or notice, or           (b)  any person  to whom  a summons  or notice  as                aforesaid has  been or  might be  issued will                not, or  would not,  produce or  cause to  be                produced,  any  books  of  account  or  other                documents  which   will  be  useful  for,  or                relevant to  any proceeding  under the Indian                Income-tax Act,  1922 (XI  of 1922), or under                this Act, or           (c)  any person  is in  possession of  any  money,                bullion, jewellery  or other valuable article                or thing  and such  money, bullion, jewellery                or other valuable article or thing represents                either wholly  or partly  income or  property                [which  has   not  been,  or  would  not  be,                disclosed] for  the purposes  of  the  Indian                Income-tax Act,  1922 (XI  of 1922),  or this                Act H 300                (hereinafter in  this section  referred to as                the undisclosed income or property), [then,-           (A)  the   Director    of   Inspection    or   the                Commissioner,  as   the  case   may  be,  may                authorise any  Deputy Director of Inspection,                Inspecting Assistant  Commissioner, Assistant                Director of Inspection or Income-tax officer,                or           (B)  such  Deputy   Director  of   Inspection   or                Inspecting  Assistant  Commissioner,  as  the                case may  be,  may  authorise  any  Assistant                Director of Inspection or Income-tax officer,      (the  officer   so  authorised   in  all   cases  being hereinafter referred to as the authorised officer to -)           (i)  enter  and   search  any   [building,  place,                vessel, vehicle  or aircraft]  where  he  has                reason to suspect that such books of account,                other documents, money, bullion, jewellery or                other valuable article or thing are kept;           (ii) break open the lock of any door, box, locker,                safe,  almirah   or  other   receptacle   for                exercising the powers conferred by clause (i)                where the keys thereof are not available;           (iia)search any  person who  has got out of, or is

6

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 6 of 11  

              about to  get into,  or is  in, the building,                place, vessel,  vehicle or  aircraft, if  the                authorised officer has reason to suspect that                such person has secreted about his person any                such  books   of  account,  other  documents,                money, bullion,  jewellery or  other valuable                article or thing;]           (iii)seize  any   such  books  of  account,  other                documents, money, bullion, jewellery or other                valuable article  or thing  found as a result                of such search;           (iv) place mark  of identification on any books of                ac count  or other documents or make or cause                to be made extracts or copies therefrom; 301           (v) make a note or an inventory of any such money,           bullion, jewellery  or other  valuable article  or           thing; "      The only  other sub-section  to which reference need be made is sub-section (3) which is as follows:- B           "The authorised  officer  may,  where  it  is  not           practicable to  seize any  such books  of account,           other document,  money bullion, jewellery or other           valuable article  or thing,  serve an order on the           owner or the person who is in immediate possession           or control  thereof that he shall not remove, part           with or  otherwise deal  with it  except with  the           previous  permission  of  such  officer  and  such           officer may  take such  steps as  may be necessary           for ensuring compliance with this sub-section. "      It is  not necessary  to refer  to the other provisions for the present purpose. But the procedure indicated that if necessary, force may be used for search seizure. Rule 112 of the said  Rules provides the manner in which such search and seizure should be conducted.      On a  construction of  the section; and the context, in which the  words "search",  "possession" and  "seizure" have been used  in the  said section  and the rules indicate that there cannot  be any  order in respect of goods or moneys or papers which  are in the custody of another department under legal authority. It is important to note that the expression "possession" has not been defined in the Act.      It may  be noted that sub-section (3) of section 132 of the Act  uses the expression "who is in immediate possession or control  thereof". "Possession"  is a  word of  ambiguous meaning and its legal senses do not always coincide with the popular sense.  Reference may  be made to Halsbury’s Laws of England, Vol.  35, 4th  Edn. articles  1111-11267 pages 617- 627. Possession  again may  not always  be  synonymous  with manual detention  or physical  retention  of  the  goods  or moneys. It  appears to  us that when the physical custody of the moneys  and goods were with the customs authorities, and that too  by a  legal sanction  and authority  to have  that custody, it  would be improper to contend that possession as used  in   section  132  of  the  Act  was  still  with  the respondent. The use of the expression "immediate possession" in sub-section 302 (3) of  section 132  does not  detract from  the meaning  of possession in  the popular  sense. This  construction is not unmindful of  the fact  that in  some of the sub-sections of section 132  the expressions  "retention" and "custody" have been used,  but reading  these expressions  in  the  context these have  been used,  it cannot  be  said  that  where  an authority or  a person  has retention  and custody  with the

7

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 7 of 11  

legal sanction  behind it,  it was  not the intention of the legislature  to  say  that  he  was  not  in  possession  as contemplated in section 132 of the Income-tax Act, 1961. In this connection, reference may be made to Burrows Words & Phrases Judicial  Dictionary, 4th  Edn. page  306. All these aspects were discussed by the Calcutta High Court (by one of us, Sabyasachi  Mukharji, J  singly) in Laxmipat Chororia v. K.K. Ganguli  & ors., 82 l.T.R. 306 (Cal). This decision was affirmed on  appeal and the bench decision of the said Court is reported  in 93  I.T’R. at  p. 489.  This aspect  of  the matter has  been clearly  dealt with  by a  judgment of  the division bench  of the  Allahabad High  Court in Motilal and ors. v.  Preventive Intelligence officer, Central Excise and Customs, Agra  and others, 80 I.T.R. 418. (Allah.) where the judgment was delivered by one of us (R.S. Pathak, J.). There the Court held that the power conferred under section 132(1) of the Act was contemplated in relation to those cases where the precise  location of  the article or thing was not known to the  Income-tax department  and therefore,  a search  was necessary for  it, and  where it  would  not  be  ordinarily yielded over by the person having possession of it. The view that section  132(3) of  the Act  would include a case where the location  of the  article or  thing was  known and where ordinarily the  person holding  custody of  it would readily deliver it  up to the Income-tax department was not correct, it was  so held  by the division bench of the Allahabad High Court.      It was  further held  that consequently  goods  in  the custody of  the Assistant  Collector of  Customs and Central Excise were  not things  which could  be the  subject of  an order under  section 132(3) of the Act. Pathak, J. spoke for the division bench there at p. 422 of the report thus:           "In my  opinion, the power conferred under section           132(1) is  contemplated in relation to those cases           where the precise location of the article or thing           is not  known to  the income-tax  department  and,           therefore, a search must be made for it, and where           it will  not be  ordinarily yielded  over  by  the           person having  possession of  it and, therefore it           is necessary  to seize  it. If  it  is  only  such           article or thing which 303           is contemplated  by section 132(1) then it is such article or  A thing  alone which  can be  the subject  of an order under  section 132(3).  I  am  unable  to  accept  the contention on  behalf  of  the  Income-tax  department  that section 132(3) will include a case where the location of the article or  thing is  known and  where ordinarily the person holding custody  of it  will readily  deliver it  up to  the Income-tax department.  Such  article  or  thing,  I  think, requires neither search nor seizure. "      Mr. S.C.  Manchanda, learned  advocate for the revenue, drew  our  attention  to  several  decisions  including  the decision  in   Noor  Mohd.   Rahimatulla  Gillani,   v.  The Commissioner of  Income-tax Vidrabha  and Marathwada, Nagpur and another, 1976 Taxation Law Reports 688 (Bombay).      In that case, after referring to the views expressed by the division  bench of  Allahabad High  Court  and  division bench of Punjab and Haryana High Court in the judgment under appeal and  the Calcutta  High Court,  as indicated  before, Chandurkar J. Of the Bombay High Court observed as follows:           "We are not inclined to accept the submission that no valid  authorisation to  seize the  amount Lying with the Collector of  Central Excise  and Customs, Nagpur could have been issued  under Section 132(1). The relevant provision in

8

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 8 of 11  

the instant case is to be found in Section 132(1) (c) of the Act  and   all  that  is  required  in  order  to  issue  an authorisation  under  Section  132(1)  is  that  either  the Director of  Inspection or the Commissioner must have reason to believe  that any  person is  in possession of any money, bullion, jewellery  or other  valuable article  or thing and such money,  bullion, jewellery or other valuable article or thing represents  either wholly or partly income or property which has  not been disclosed for the purposes of the Act or the Income-tax  Act of 1922. It is the character of money or assets  as   undisclosed  income   or  property   and  their possession that gives jurisdiction to issue the authori- risation. Merely  because some  authority  has  seized  that money or  property, its  character which  is believed  to be that of undisclosed income or property does not change. The seizure of the cash amount of Rs.3.05.530 by the 304           Central Excise  Authorities in the instant case no           doubt  transferred  physical  possession  of  that           amount from  the petitioner  to the Central Excise           Department, but  the legal ownership of that money           still continued to be with the petitioner. As long           as that  amount was  not confiscated  or  did  not           become the  property of the Central Excise Depart-           ment by  virtue  of  an  order  passed  under  the           relevant provision  of law  if at  all  any  order           could be  so passed  the property or the money did           not cease to be that of the petitioner. Though the           Collector of  Central Excise  and Customs  was  in           possession  of   the  money,   since  its  alleged           character of  being undisclosed income or property           remained unattended  the Collector  satisfied  the           description of "any person" being in possession of           undisclosed income or property though the property           represented the  undisclosed income or property of           the petitioner  himself.  The  words  used  in  s.           132(1) (c)  are "any person". Such a person may be           a  person   who  is   in  possession  of  his  own           undisclosed income  or property or a person who is           in  possession   of  somebody  else’s  undisclosed           income or property. The fact that the Collector of           Central Excise  and  Customs  happened  to  be  an           officer  of   the  Government  of  India  was  not           relevant because  the Income-tax  Authorities  and           the Central  Excise Authorities  were  functioning           under two  separate enactments  which created  two           different liabilities the enforcement of which was           entrusted to  independent  authorities  under  the           law. Disagreeing,  therefore, with the authorities           relied upon by the 3 petitioner, we must hold that           the  authorisation   issued   even   against   the           Collector of  Central Excise  and Customs enabling           the Income-tax  officer to seize that amount was a           valid authorisation.  In any  case, in the instant           case, a  subsequent  order  under  s.  132(3)  was           already made and even by the order under s. 132(5)           that amount was directed to be released."      It is  true that  the title  was not transferred to the Customs authorities by seizure under the Customs Act. But in the context.  in  which  the  expressions  "possession"  and "seizure" have  been used, it p cannot be considered to mean that the  possession was where the legal title was, physical possession was  with the Customs authorities, title Was with the respondent herein. In this context, the physical posses- 305

9

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 9 of 11  

sion having  regard to  the language  used is  relevent  and material.  Physical   possession  was   with   the   Customs authorities  when  the  seizure  authorisation  was  passed. Therefore, where  the exact  location of  the  property  was known and  there was no need to seize the money, the Income- tax department  could direct  handing over  the money to the Income-tax authorities  or take  steps  for  such  direction through appropriate  authorities. In that view of the matter we are  unable to  sustain the view of Chandurkar, J. as the learned Chief Justice then was of the Bombay High Court.      Mr. Manchanda  also drew  our attention  to the case of Pannalal v. Income-Tax officer, B-Ward, Chhindwara and ors., 93 I.T.R.  p.480 (M.P.)  where the  division  bench  of  the Madhya Pradesh  High Court  was of  the view  that an  order under  section   132(3)  could   only  be  passed  after  an authorisation for  search and  seizure had  been made  under section 132(1) of the Act. The thing in respect of which the order is  made must  be one  regarding which  the conditions mentioned in  clauses (a),  (b) and  (c) of  section 132 are satisfied. But  there was  nothing in  the  requirements  of section 132 to support the view that if the Commissioner has definite knowledge  that the  books of  account,  documents, money, bullion,  etc., sought  to be searched and seized are in the  possession of a particular person he cannot issue an authorisation for  search and  seizure of  the same.  In our opinion. it  may be  mentioned  that  if  the  location  was certain, then  there was  nothing to  search  or  look  for. Madhya  Pradesh  High  Court,  however,  observed  that  the expression  "has  reason  to  believe"  signified  that  the Commissioner has  reason to  be satisfied that the things to be searched  are in  the possession  of a particular person. The object  of section  132 was according to the High Court, not merely  to get information of the undisclosed income but also to  seize the  money, bullion,  etc.  representing  the undisclosed  income   and  to   retain.  them  for  purposes mentioned in  section 132(5).  Section 132(1)(C)  of the Act did not  contain a  condition either  expressly or impliedly that the  thing to be seized should not be in the possession of a  person who  may willingly  part with  his  possession. There is  no obligation  on any  one, not even on Government officers of  other department,  to deliver anything to G the income-tax authorities  except when the law requires them to do so. The person authorised by the Commissioner could enter and search  any building,  break open  the lock  of any door etc. But  that did  not mean  that in  every case the person authorised by  the warrant  would have to exercise all those powers in making the search and seizing the thing, according to the High Court. It was not necessary that an actual 306 search must  precede an order under section 132(3) directing a person  not to  part  with  articles  in  his  possession. Section 132(1)(c)  did not  contemplate that  the person who has not disclosed his income or property for the purposes of the Income-tax Act should himself be in possession of money, bullion, etc.  representing such income. Clause (c) spoke of "any  person   who  is   in  possession"   and  it  did  not specifically refer  to possession  by the person who had not disclosed his  income. All that the clause required was that the money,  bullion etc.  should be  such  which  represents either wholly  or partly  income or  property which  had not been disclosed  for purposes  of the Income-tax Act and such money, bullion,  etc. should  be  in  the  possession  of  a person. This  construction was supported by the use of words "immediate possession"  in section  132(3) of  the Act. This was the view of the High Court.

10

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 10 of 11  

    There an  order under  section 132(3) was passed by the Commissioner of  Income-tax on  the Collector of Customs and Central Excise  in respect of currency notes of the value of Rs.2,02.500 belonging  to a  firm, which  the Collector  was holding under  the Gold Control Act and which, as no offence was committed  under that  Act, the Collector had ordered to be released.  It was  also held  by the  High Court that the Collector  was  under  a  legal  obligation  to  return  the currency notes  to the  firm after the proceedings under the Gold Control  Act had  been  finalised.  The  power  of  the Collector was  only to  retain  the  currency  notes  for  a limited period.  It could  be held  that the  currency notes were held by the Collector for and on behalf of the firm and the order passed under section 132 was valid.      For the  reasons mentioned  hereinbefore, we are unable to sustain  that view of the High Court. As mentioned before though legal  title might  have been  with the  person whose income was  sought to  be taxed  the physical possession was with the  Customs authorities.  Our attention was drawn to a bench decision  of the  Madras High Court where similar view was taken in Gulab and Company and Anr. v. Superintendent of Central Excise  (Preventive) Trichy, and ors.. 98 I.T.R. 581 (Mad.). For  the reasons  we have indicated hereinbefore, we are also  unable to sustain this view. The Kerala High Court in the  case of  Assainar and  Anr. v.  Income-tax  Officer, Calicut and on,., 101 I.T.R. 854 (Kerala) also accepted this view. We  are, for  the aforesaid reasons, unable to sustain this view  with respect.  The High  Court observed  that the word "search" has varied meanings and it should be given the general meanings "to look for" or "seek" which are also well known. But  in the  context the  expression "seizure" and in the context 307 the expression  "search" where  the location of the property was known A to the Government, we are of the opinion that it could not  be said  that  one  government  department  could search any  other government  department,  and  seize  those documents.      Relying on  the decision of the Allahabad High Court in Motilal’s case  (supra) as  well  as  the  decision  of  the Calcutta High  Court in Laxmipat’s case (supra), the learned single judge  of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in Ramesh Chander v.  Commissioner of Income Tax (supra) held that the word "seizure" implied forcibly taking from the owner or who has the  possession and  who was  unwilling to part with the possession. In  that case custody was with the police and it would be  inappropriate to  accept  the  position  that  the income tax  department which  was another  department of the Union of  India had to be armed with authority to seize from the unwilling  persons. We are in agreement with these views of the learned single judge. This view of the learned single judge has  been confirmed  in the  judgment of  the division bench, already  referred to  hereinbefore  (reported  in  93 I.T.R. p.  450). The  lacuna in  law has  subsequently  been filled in by 132A of the Act with effect from October, 1975.      In the  view of  the law  as it  stood at  the relevant time, we  are unable  to sustain the challenge to the order, impugned in this appeal. The appeal, therefore, fails and is accordingly dismissed  with the  . observations that it will be open  to  the  Income-tax  authorities  to  approach  the appropriate authorities to realise any amount of money or to recover any books of account or documents in accordance with law. In the facts and the circumstances of the case, parties will pay and bear their respective costs. S.R.                                       Appeal dismissed.

11

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 11 of 11  

308