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TMI Blog2007 (2) TMI 562X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... counsel, Shri Kapil Dev Singla while the respondents were represented by the CPIO. 3. Information requested by the appellant in his RTI-request was as follows : "1. How many search and seizure Central Excise Commissionerate, Ludhiana in the area of its jurisdiction, has conducted? 2. Out of all these search and seizure, in how many cases, Show Cause Notices have been issued and for what amount? 3. What is the present status of all these Show Cause Notices? 4. What is the number of Show Cause Notices or adjudication orders, which have been quashed/set aside by the Hon'ble Courts/other Appellate authorities in exercise of thei ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... DRI to widely publicize "raids" conducted by them as well as the names and other details of those "raided". These agencies don't wait till the conclusion of the proceedings against those "raided" to disclose their identities. According to the appellant, his request for information was in respect of the "show cause notices" issued by the Department of Central Excise, Chandigarh. While it was true that it was the DRI which conducted searches and seizures, the show cause notices were, in most cases, issued by the Department of Central Excise and not DRI. In that sense, the information asked for by the appellant won't attract the exclusion under Section 24(1) to the DRI. Decision 8. Of the 5 items of information requested by the appellan ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ormal course. The respondents have erred in conjuring up all the manner of imaginary hardship to third parties and linking the information to exemption under Section 8(1). These provisions are not attracted to the present case. In actual fact the information is already in the public domain and is decidedly related to public interest, in so far as the public has a right to know the result of the public authority's campaign against unlawful activity such as duty-evasion, etc., for which the public authority has been created in the first place. 12. I am, therefore, of the view that all five items of information requested by the appellant should be disclosed to him. 13. The CPIO is directed to disclose the same within 3 weeks from t ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X
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