JUDGMENT- A.V. SAVANT, J.:-The petitioners are a Partnership Firm registered under the Indian Partnership Act, 1932 carrying on the business at Custom House Agents under a licence issued by the Collector of Customs in accordance with the provisions of section 146 of the Customs Act, 1962. They claim to be operating in this field for the last about 40 years without a blemish and during the past 5 years preceeding the filing of the petition, they claim to have annually handled the business involving customs duty of approximately Rs.20 crores each. The first respondent is the Board of Trustees of the Port of Bombay and the 2nd respondent is the Docks Manager of the Bombay Port Trust.

2. By the present petition, the petitioners seek to challenge the letter dated 29th February, 1988 - Exhibit "E" to the petition, under which the 12 Dock Entry Permits issued to the petitioners have been suspended until the final disposal of the criminal case instituted against the petitioners, in the following facts.

3. An incident occured on the 31st January, 1986. M/s. M.G. Wollen Mills, Amritsar, had placed an order with M/s. State Centre Vaste Mills Corporation, California, for supply of woollen and s

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