SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

Before:- S.C. Agrawal, B.N. Kirpal and V.N. Khare, JJ.

Writ Petn. (C) No. 758 of 1996. D/d. 6.2.1998.

Jagriti Upbhogta Kalyan Parishad and others - Petitioner

Versus

Union of India and others - Respondents

For the Petitioner :- Ms. Rachana Srivastava, Advocate, Mr. A. K. Ganguli, Sr. Advocate.

For the UOI :- M/s. S. Wasim A. Qadri, M. P. Shorawala, Anil Katiyar, Advocate.

For the Respondents :- M/s. R. C. Verma, Chatanya Siddarth, R. B. Misra, Prashant Choudhary, Advocates, M/s. Mahesh Srivastava, Ravi Raut, V. D. Khanna, Nirmala Gupta, Advocates, for M/s. I. M. Nanavati Associates, Ms. Rani Chhabra, Advocates. Constitution of India, Article 32 - Supply of liquid Petroleum gas products - Public interest litigation - Report of Oil Co-ordination Committee stating that company has collected funds to tune of Rs. 30 to 35 crores - Directions given to freeze its bank accounts till further orders - Directions issued to safe guard the interest of consumers.

[Para 3]

ORDER

An application has been filed on behalf of respondent No. 12 for further extension of time to deposit the sum of rupees five lakhs. The said respondent was directed to deposit the said amount within two weeks under the Order dated November 17, 1997*. The period for making the said deposit was extended by two weeks under the Order dated January 9, 1998.

2. We have heard the learned counsel for the said respondent/applicant on this application. In our opinion, no case is made out for grant of further time for making the said deposit. The application for extension of time is, therefore, dismissed.

3. Shri A. K. Ganguli, the learned senior counsel appearing as amicus curiae, has pointed out that in the report of the Oil Co-ordination Committee, which is filed as Annexure R-4 to the affidavit of Shri O. N. Singh, Dy. Secretary to the Government of India, it is stated that respondent No. 12 has collected funds to the tune of Rs. 30 to 35 crores. Having regard to the aforesaid circumstance, we consider it necessary to give suitable directions for safeguarding the interest of the consumers who have made the deposit with respondent No. 12. It is, therefore, directed that -

(1) All the bank accounts of respondent No. 12, as well as the bank accounts of the directors of respondent No. 12 shall be frozen forthwith and the banks concerned shall not permit respondent No. 12 and their directors to operate the said accounts till further orders from this Court.

(2) The District Judges of Lucknow, Meerut, Mathura and Mainpuri in U. P. and District Judge having jurisdiction at Pipavav Port in Gujarat shall take immediate steps to attach the properties (moveable as well as immoveable) of respondent No. 12, set out hereunder, as mentioned in paragraph 6 of the affidavit of Shri Lalji Verma dated November 13, 1997 (at pages 253-254 of the Paperbook) which fall within their respective jurisdiction.

i Lands at Mohanlal Ganj, Lucknow, Meerut, Mainpuri and Mathura.

ii. Bottling plant at Mohanlal Ganj, Lucknow.

iii. S. K. O. storage at Mohanlal Ganj, Lucknow.

iv. Kerosene and LPG port storage facility project at Pipavav Port, Gujarat.

v. Vehicles (staff cars and scooters).

vi. Furniture and Fixtures.

vii. Electrical Equipments.

viii. Electrical installations.

ix. Computers.

x. Stock of lubricating oil.

xi. Stock of L. P. Gas.

xii. Cylinders and regulators.

xiii. Sundry debtors.

xiv. Other current assets.

xv. Loans and Advances.

(3) The Managing Director of respondent No. 12 shall file an affidavit before this Court within two weeks giving full particulars of the bank accounts of respondent No. 12 as well as the bank accounts and the properties of all the Directors of respondent No. 12 and Pramod Tiwari and Abha Tiwari, promotor and developer of respondent No. 12.

(4) In the meanwhile, the Directors of respondent No. 12 shall not alienate or create encumbrance on any of their properties.

4. The report of the Oil Co-ordination Committee makes a reference to 18 FIRs registered against respondent No. 12 at Hazrat Ganj Police Station, U. P., Lucknow and to 11 FIRs registered against M/s. Shree Ram Petroleum. The Director General of Police (Economic Offences Wing) U. P., Lucknow, shall submit a report about the progress of the investigation in those cases within four weeks.

5. A copy of this order may be sent to the Director General of Police (Economic Offences Wing), U. P., Lucknow, and the District Judge, Lucknow/Meerut/Mainpuri and Mathura in U. P., and the District Judge having jurisdiction at Pipavav Port in Gujarat. The said District Judges shall submit their reports regarding action taken within four weeks.

6. List on March 20, 1998.

Order accordingly.