S.N.Jha and R.S.Garg JJ.

1. This writ petition on behalf of Publisher and Editor of a newspaper called "Begusarai Times has been filed seeking direction upon the respondents to open the seal put on Lok Bharti Press, Begusarai from where Begusarai Times is published, and further direction not to interfere with the publication of the said newspaper.

2. Short facts of the case are as follows. In the night of 9/10 February 1987 at about 4.30 A.M. the respondent-authorities raided the premises of the press i.e. Lok Bharti Press and seized some papers as per the seizure list. They also sealed the press itself. On the report of the District Public Relations Officer, Begusarai, Begusarai P.S. Case No. 39/87 under sections 406, 467, 468, 471, 420 of the Indian Penal Code and section 12 of the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867 (in short the Press Act) was also registered. The case of the petitioner is that Begusarai Times and Birsa Times, another newspaper, are published under a declaration as required under section 4 of the Press Act. As per the declaration Begusarai Times is printed at Lok Bharti Press, Begusarai and Birsa Times is printed at Sunaiyana Press Ranchi. However