THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE R. SUBHASH REDDY Writ Petition No.26386 of 2008 ORDER: 1 This Writ Petition is filed seeking a direction by way of mandamus declaring the action of the respondents in seizing the stock of 161 quintals of rice, 43 liters of kerosene oil and 1.20 quintals of red gram dall from the petitioner who is a fair price shop dealer for shop No.188 of Mansoorabad village, Saroornagar Mandal, Rangareddy District as illegal and arbitrary. 2 At the time of admission, this court passed an interim order directing the respondents to release the seized stock to the petitioner on his furnishing a bank guarantee for half of the value of the goods seized. 3 Though the seizure is questioned on several grounds, but as it is submitted that enquiry under section 6-A of the Essential Commodities Act has already been initiated pursuant to the seizure, it is for the authority before whom the proceedings are pending to go into the allegations and the explanation offered by the petitioner in such proceedings and pass appropriate orders thereon. However, as much as the goods were already released in favour of the petitioner on his furnishing a bank guarantee for half of the value of the goods seized, I deem it appropriate to dispose of the Writ Petition directing the first respondent to complete the enquiry initiated against the petitioner under Section 6-A of the Essential Commodities Act, if not already completed, as expeditiously as possible, preferably, within a period of three months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. The bank guarantee furnished by the petitioner and release of the goods seized pursuant to the order of this court in W.P.M.P.No.34546 of 2008 dated 02.12.2008 shall be subject to the final orders that are to be passed in the proceedings initiated against the petitioner under Section 6-A of the Essential Commodities Act. 4 With the above direction, the Writ Petition is disposed of. No costs. ------------------------ R.Subhash Reddy, J. 18.10.2011 Kvsn