JUDGMENT :

Abhay Manohar Sapre, J.

1. Leave granted.

2. These appeals have been filed against the final judgment and order dated 27.09.2012 passed by the High Court of Delhi at New Delhi in L.P.A. Nos.656 and 657 of 2011 whereby the Division Bench of the High Court dismissed the appeals filed by the appellants herein and upheld the order dated 14.07.2011 passed by the Single Judge in W.P. [C] 1426 & 1439/1999.

3. The issue involved in these appeals is short and it relates to the question as to whether the Tribunal was justified in dismissing the appellants’ appeals as being barred by time and was justified in holding that there was no sufficient cause for condoning the delay in filing the appeals and secondly, whether the High Court was justified in upholding the order of the Tribunal.

4. Few relevant facts need to be mentioned to appreciate the short controversy.

5. An order was passed by the Competent Authority under Section 7 of the Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (forfeiture of Property) Act, 1976 (hereinafter referred to as “SAFEMA”) against the appellants on 14.07.1998 and 14.10.1998 in relation to their properties.

6. The appellants felt aggrieved of the aforementioned