IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
Crl.MC.No. 3839 of 2008()
1. R.PRASAD, AGED 55 YEARS, S/O.RAGHAVAN,
... Petitioner
Vs
1. STATE OF KERALA,
... Respondent
For Petitioner :SRI.RASHEED C.NOORANAD
For Respondent : No Appearance
The Hon'ble MR. Justice R.BASANT
Dated :21/10/2008
O R D E R
R. BASANT, J.
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Crl.M.C. No. 3839 of 2008
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Dated this the 21st day of October, 2008
ORDER
Three vehicles allegedly belonging to the petitioner were
intercepted and seized by the police and revenue authorities
on the allegation that the same were being utilised for illicit
transportation of river sand. The petitioner has a case that the
same is not river sand and is ordinary earth licitly imported
from Tamil Nadu after payment of the requisite fee, charges
etc. The seizure was reported to the court. It is submitted
that the proceedings for confiscation are pending before the
District Collector.
2. Be that as it may, the petitioner applied for release of
the vehicles. The learned Magistrate by the impugned order
rejected the application. The petitioner is aggrieved by the
said rejection.
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3. The learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the
vehicles were not in any way involved in violation of the
provisions of the Kerala Protection of River Banks and
Regulation of Removal of Sand Act, 2001 (for short `the Act’)
and that it was a bona fide transportation of ordinary earth
which is not contumacious or culpable. The learned counsel
urges that, in these circumstances, the vehicles may be released
unconditionally to the petitioner.
4. The learned Public Prosecutor opposes the application.
The learned Public Prosecutor submits that, at the moment and
with the available inputs, the conclusion appears to be
irresistible that the sand transported in the vehicles is river sand
and such transportation is contrary to the provisions of the Act.
The learned Public Prosecutor, however, submits that the State
has no objection against the release of the vehicles to the
petitioner subject to appropriate conditions and reserving the
right of the petitioner to raise all relevant contentions at the
appropriate later stage.
5. I reckon the said stand taken by the learned Public
Prosecutor to be absolutely fair and reasonable. It is not
possible at the moment for this Court to come to any authentic
conclusion as to whether the articles allegedly transported in the
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vehicles were river sand contrary to the provisions of the Act or
only ordinary earth to which transportation no offence under the
Act is attracted. Reserving the right of the petitioner to raise
all such contentions, directions to release the vehicles can be
issued subject to appropriate conditions. In coming to this
conclusion, I imbibe the mandate of the decision of the Supreme
Court in Sunderbhai Ambalal Desai v. State of Gujarat (AIR
2003 SC 638) which insists that the valuable properties should
not be exposed to the risk of damage and deterioration by
exposure to sun and rain.
6. In the result:
(a) This Crl.M.C. is allowed.
(b) The impugned order is set aside.
(c) The vehicles in question shall be released to the
petitioner on the following terms and conditions:
(i) The petitioner shall produce before the learned
Magistrate all documents to show that he is the owner and is
entitled to possession of the three vehicles concerned.
(ii) He shall execute a bond for an amount equal to the
total value of the vehicles concerned as provisionally assessed by
the learned Magistrate with two solvent sureties each for the
like sum.
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(iii) The petitioner shall deposit an amount of Rs.25,000/-
each in respect of each vehicle (Rs.75,000/- in all) which amount
shall be retained in court deposit and shall be released to the
petitioner on proof that a favourable finding has been rendered
by the District Collector in his favour in confiscation proceedings
or that the amounts ordered in such confiscation proceedings
have been deposited before the District Collector by the
petitioner.
7. Hand over a copy of this order to the learned counsel for
the petitioner.
Sd/-
(R. BASANT, JUDGE)
Nan/
//true copy//
P.S. to Judge
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