A search was conducted at the residence of the assessees on October 31, 2017 and cash was seized.The assessment was completed assessing the Nil income.  The assessees applied for release of the seized cash. On November 17, 2021, respondent No. 3 released cash without payment of any statutory interest as per section 132B(4)(a) and (b) of the Act. The period of 120 days came to an end on March 2, 2018. On a writ allowing the petition the Court held that there was delay in releasing the cash amount of the assessees seized by the respondents and such payment was not made within a period of 120 days from the date on which the last authorisation for search under section 132 was executed to the date of completion of assessment under section 153A or under Chapter XIV-B of the Act, 1961. The respondents were solely responsible for the gross delay in not releasing the cash amount of the petitioners under section 132B(4)(b) of the Act and thus could not refuse the payment of compensation to the assessees for wrongfully withholding the amount from the date of assessment order till payment.