IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
Crl MC No. 2239 of 2007()
1. K.K.ISMAIL, AGED 47 YEARS,
... Petitioner
Vs
1. STATE OF KERALA, REPRESENTED BY THE
... Respondent
2. THE SUB INSPECTOR OF POLICE,
For Petitioner :SRI.JOY GEORGE
For Respondent : No Appearance
The Hon'ble MR. Justice R.BASANT
Dated :24/07/2007
O R D E R
R.BASANT, J
= = = = = = = = = = = = =
Crl.M.C. No.2239 Of 2007
= = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Dated this the 24th day of July, 2007
ORDER
The petitioner claims to be the registered owner of a vehicle
Swaraj Mazda Lorry bearing Registration No. KL 02/ N 2728. Alleging
that the said vehicle was used for illicit transfer of wheat, it was seized
in Crime No.409/2007 of Thodupuzha Police Station. The petitioner
applied for release of the vehicle. That prayer was rejected by the
learned Chief Judicial Magistrate by Annexure A7(a) order. The
petitioner has come to this Court aggrieved by the said order ie.
Annexure A7(a).
2. The learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the
petitioner is undisputedly the owner of the vehicle. No confiscation
proceedings has been initiated so far. Subject to the liability to make
the vehicle available for confiscation if a proper order of confiscation is
ultimately passed under the provisions of Essential Commodities Act or
the Code to Criminal Procedure the vehicle may now be released to the
petitioner subject to appropriate conditions, prays the learned counsel
for the petitioner. The learned Public Prosecutor does not raise any
objections. He only submits that appropriate conditions may be
imposed to ensure that the vehicle will be available before the Court
and the authorities concerned, if and when the order is ultimately
B.A.No.2239 of 2007 2
passed for confiscation under the provisions of the Essential
Commodities Act or otherwise.
3. I am satisfied that the prayer of the petitioner can be allowed
and appropriate conditions can be issued. In the result, this petition is
allowed. Annexure A7(a) is set aside. It is directed that the vehicle
shall be released to the petitioner on the following terms and
conditions.
i) He shall produce before the learned Magistrate all documents
to show that he is the registered owner entitled to the possession of
the vehicle.
ii) He shall execute a bond for an amount equal to the value of
the vehicle to be fixed by the learned Chief Judicial Magistrate, along
with two solvent sureties each for the like sum to the satisfaction of
the learned Chief Judicial Magistrate.
iii) In such bond he shall specifically undertake to produce the
vehicle before the learned Chief Judicial Magistrate or before the
appropriate authority under the Essential Commodities Act, if any
order of confiscation were ultimately passed, and he is called upon to
produce the vehicle.
(R.BASANT, JUDGE)
sj
B.A.No.2239 of 2007 3