( 1 ) THE petitioner in this writ petition, fild under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, seeking issuance of a writ of habeas corpus or any other writ, order or direction, was detained on 23rd May 1988, in execution of detention order passed on 7th October 1987 under the provisions of Sections 3 (i) (iii) and 3 (i) (iv) of the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 (for short the Act ), on the allegation that he had assisted one T. A. Sirajudeen @ Siraj in coming into possession of 60 gold biscuits, transporting and selling part of the said gold biscuits, for which the detenu had received remuneration from said Sirajudeen @ Siraj and having been associated with the said Sirajudeen @ Siraj in the matter of transportation, carriage and disposel of the smuggled sold.

( 2 ) THE brief facts in so far as these are relevant to the disposal of the present writ petition, and as gathered from the grounds of detention, are that a search of the house of T. A. Sirajudeen @ Siraj was carried on 30th November, 1986 by Superintendent, Central Excise and 11 gold biscuits were recovered buried in the floor of the house which was