Amount deposited during search cannot be retained as proceedings u/s 74(1) of CGST Act not initiated

Modern Insecticides Ltd. Vs Commissioner (Punjab and Haryana High Court) Punjab & Haryana High Court held that amount deposited during the search cannot be retained by the department as this deposit cannot be taken to be voluntary as no proceedings u/s 74(1) of the CGST Act has been initiated. Facts- Officials of the respondents searched the factory premises of the petitioner and resumed the entire record lying there. On 07.03.2020, they got deposited a sum of Rs.39,15,583/-. The respondents conducted the second search on 15.01.2021 and took away the Director and Chartered Accountant of th...