Mr. Justice V. Balakrishna Eradi, President—The International Airports Authority of India has come up in revision against the order dated 17.2.95 passed by the State Commission, Madras in A.P. No. 966 of 1994 on its file. By the said order the State Commission set aside the order of the District Forum, Madras exonerating the International Airports Authority of India from accountability for the loss of one carton of finished leather goods which formed part of an export cargo consignment booked by the complainant for export to Austria and directed the authority to pay to the complainant a sum of Rs. 45,505/- being the value of the lost carton with interest at 12 per cent. The State Commission has processed on the basis that the responsibility for ensuring the safety of the air cargo while it was in the Air Cargo Complex of the Madras Airport was that of the International Airports Authority of India.

2. The question as to whether and to what extent the International Airports Authority of India is the custodian of the export cargo while it is in the Air Cargo Complex and whether the said Authority can be made accountable for the loss of any item from the International Air Cargo Com