JUDGMENT

D. A. DESAI, J.:— The Union of India has moved this Court seeking permission to withdraw Criminal Miscellaneous Petitions Nos. 8009 and 8010/77 pending in this Court since 1977.

2. Criminal Miscellaneous Petition No. 8009 of 1977 was moved by the Solicitor General of India requesting the court to take action against the five persons whose names and addresses have been set out in the petition u/s. 15 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 on the ground that they were individually and severally guilty of wilful disobedience to the directions and order of this Court with regard to the preservation of the film Kissa Kursee Ka, negatives and the prints in proper condition until the disposal of Writ Petition No. 595/77 and thereby they have interfered with the due course of judicial proceedings and their conduct was intended and calculated to interfere with and obstruct the. administration of justice by causing the loss and disappearance of film Kissa Kursee Ka with a view to disabling and preventing this court from effectively dealing with the writ petition pending before it and judicially determining the issues arising therein.

3. Criminal Miscellaneous Petition No. 8010/77 was als