( 1 ) THIS group of Letters Patent Appeals is directed against the judgment and order dated 2. 5. 2000 of the learned Single Judge in Special Civil Application Nos. 3196 to 3217 of 1998 and connected petitions. The writ petitions were filed by co-operative banks/co-operative societies which are respondents herein. Some of the co-operative banks/societies have filed more than one petitions in respect of different fixed deposit receipts. Common contentions have been urged in all these appeals. Accordingly, the appeals were heard together and are being disposed of by this common judgment. Proceedings before the learned Single Judge

( 2 ) THE facts leading to filing of the petitions are as under :-2. 1 the petitions were filed by 22 co-operative banks or co-operative credit societies for directing Bank of Baroda and Indian Bank (hereinafter referred to as "the appellants" or "the Nationalized Banks") to refund the amounts of fixed deposit receipts which the petitioners had invested with different branches of Bank of Baroda at Surat and of Indian Bank also at Surat. When the petitioners made inquiries about their annual statement of accounts, they came to know that serious