law: The Prevention of Money-Laundering Act, 2002
  20. Retention of
  
  property.-
  1.  Where
  
  any property has been seized under section 17 or section 18, and the officer
  
  authorised by the Director in this behalf has, on the basis of material in his
  
  possession, reason to believe (the reason for such belief to e recorded by him
  
  in writing) that such property is required to be retained for the purposes of
  
  adjudication under section 8, such property may be retained for a period not
  
  exceeding three months from the end of the month in which such property was
  
  seize .
  2.  The
  
  officer authorised by the Director immediately after he has passed an order for
  
  retention of the property for purposes of adjudication under section 8 shall
  
  forward a copy of the order along with the material in his possession, referred
  
  to in sub section (1), to the Adjudicating Authority, in a sealed envelope, in
  
  the manner as may be prescribed and such Adjudicating Authority shall keep such
  
  order and material for such period as may be prescribed.
  3.  On
  
  the expiry of the period specified in sub-section (1), the property shall be
  
  returned to the person from whom such property was seized unless the
  
  Adjudicating Authority permits retention of such property beyond the said
  
  period.
  4.  The
  
  Adjudicating Authority, before authorising the retention of such property
  
  beyond the period specified in sub-section (1), shall satisfy himself that the
  
  property is prima facie involved in money-laundering and the property is
  
  required for the purposes of adjudication under section 8.
  5.  After
  
  passing the order of confiscation under sub-section (6) of section 8, the
  
  Adjudicating Authority shall direct the release of all properties other than
  
  the properties involved in money-laundering to the person from whom such
  
  properties were seized.
  6.  
  
    Notwithstanding
  
  anything contained in sub-section (5), the Director or any officer authorised
  
  by him in this behalf may withhold the release of any property until filing of
  
  appeal under section 26 or forty-five days from the date of order under
  
  sub-section (5), whichever is earlier, if he is of the opinion that such
  
  property is relevant for the proceedings before the Appellate Tribunal.