JUDGMENT

(Prayer: Writ Appeals filed under Clause 15 of the Letters Patent to set aside the common order dated 25.10.2021 passed in W.P.Nos.8150, 8149, 8148, 8147 & 8146 of 2020.)

Common Judgment

R. Mahadevan, J.

1. These writ appeals arise from a common order dated 25.10.2021 passed by the learned Judge in a batch of writ petitions viz., W.P.Nos.8150, 8149, 8148, 8147 & 8146 of 2020, filed by the appellants herein.

2. The relief sought in the aforesaid writ petitions is to issue a writ of certiorari to call for the records from the file of the first respondent pertaining to the orders dated 29.01.2020 passed under section 24(4) of the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988 (hereinafter referred to as “the Act”) and quash the same as illegal, arbitrary and without jurisdiction.

3.1. According to the appellants, they are involved in the business of real estate and developing infrastructure projects including ports, SEZ's, hotels, malls, etc. In the month of November, 2017, a search was conducted in the business premises of the appellants consequent to the search in the case of Mrs.V.K.Sasikala. During the course of the same, various documents were impounded and sworn statem