Calcutta, Nov. 18: A file relating to a case involving Jyoti Basu?s son Chandan, which had disappeared from the high court 13 years ago, has suddenly resurfaced. Chief Justice V.S. Sirpurkar has put it on the fast track, asking that the matter be concluded as soon as possible.

The case was lodged in 1988 by Chandan Basu as managing director of Eastern Biscuit Company challenging a notification by the Central Excise department asking his company to pay Rs 37.68 lakh in dues as well as fines for non-payment. The company has since ceased to exist.

The last time the case was heard was in 1989, after which the file disappeared mysteriously and the case could not be heard.

On September 16, 1988, Justice Prativa Bonerjee passed an interim order staying the central excise notification. The excise authorities then appealed the division bench of Justice S.C. Sen and Justice U.C. Bannerjee, praying for a stay on the interim order.

In October 1988, the division bench passed an interim order saying the order of Justice Bonerjee would be sustained if the biscuit company pays Rs 50,000 forthwith to the excise department. Among other conditions, the division bench also said the company would have to furnish a bank guarantee of Rs 15 lakh in favour of the excise department by November 1988.

Basu paid Rs 50,000, but failed to deposit the bank guarantee of Rs 15 lakh. The department moved court again.

When the matter came up for hearing again, in 1992, it was discovered that the file relating to the case had disappeared. The court registrar then submitted in writing that the file could not be traced. Nothing was heard of the case for many years thereafter.

Today, when the matter came up for hearing, the file, with layers of dust on it, was placed in the court. However, it was not known how the file surfaced.

The division bench directed that Basu?s address be traced and the notice of the case be served immediately.