WP/24088/2020 of Sayyad Naser Ali Vs State of Telangana and 3 Others on 30 December 2020

1. state of Telangana, [Represented ][by ][Principle ][secretary, ][Prohibition ][and ][Exctse]Deoanment, Secretariat, [Hyderabad, ][Telangana'. ].Deoanment, Secretariat, [Hyderabad, ][Telangana'. ].

2. ih5 e;;;i;.i;ne-t'ot [pior''1iortion ][anil Excis;, ][l/ukhramiha ].[Road, Abkari Bhavan']2nd Floor, Hyderabad.2nd Floor, Hyderabad.3.ir.'r. ou. bommissioner, [prohibition ][and ][Excise, ][Prohibition ][and ][Excise]Department, lvlahbubnagar [District.]Department, lvlahbubnagar [District.]4.ltriil;'i;;$ orrc"i, [Fior,i oiiion ][Excise ][station, ][Achampet, Mahaboobnagar']

...RESPONDENTS

Petition under Article [226 ][ol ][lhe ][constitution ][of ][lndia ][praying ][that in ][the]circumstances stated [in the ][affidavit ][filed ][therewith, ][the ][High ][court ][may ][be ][pleased]to issue a writ, order or [Direction ][more ][particularly ][one in the ][nature ][of ][writ ][of]MandamusdeclaringtheactofRespondentno.2innotpassinganyorderinthelAfiled on 19.11.2020 [along ][with ][the ][Appeal ][filed ][against ][the ][Order ][passed ][on]29.10.2020 by the [Respondent ][No.3 ][in ][Procs ][PCOR ][no ][B5/2020 before ][the]respondentNo'2forgrantofinterimcustodyoftheLorryNo.It/H24489486'tr,4ake/lvlodel and Variant [- ][Ashok ][Leyland/2616 ][and ][2lcg + Tg Twin ][Goods, ][Engine]No./ChassisNo.CSHZ|14607tl\/BlCTDYCXCPSF36Bg'RTOLocationlr/aharashtra - Latur, as [being ][i||egal, ][arbitrary' unjust ][and ][conStitutional ][and]Consequent|ydirecttheRespondentNo.2todisposeofthelAasexpeditiouslyaspossible in the interest of [justice]IA NO: 1 0F 2020

Petition under [Section ][151][ CPC ][praying ][that in the ][circumstances ][stated ][in]the affidavit filed [in ][support ][of the ][petition, ][the ][High Court may ][be ][pleased ][to ][direct]the Respondent [No.2 ][to ][forthwith ][grant ][interim ][custody ][of the ][Lorry]No.N/H24AB9486, [Make/tr/odel ][and ][Variant ][- ][Ashok ][Leyland/26'16 ][and ][2/cg ][+ ][Tg]Twin Goods, Engine [No. ][/Chassis ][No. CSH2114607/MB',lCTDYCXCPSF36B9' ][RTO]Location-l\4aharashtra-Latur,seizedinPCoRNo.B5/202odated11,6.2020pending disposal of main [writ ][petition.]

Counsel for the [Petitioner: ][SRI DAMODAR MUNDRA]

Counsel for the [Respondents: ][GP ][FOR PROHIBITION AND ][EXCISE]

The Court made [the ][following: ][ORDER]

HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE [P.NAVEEN ][RAO]WRIT PETrTION NO.24088 0F 2020

ORDERT

Petitioner claims to be the owner of [goods ][transport ][vehicle]bearing registration No.MH-24-AB-9486. [The said ][vehicle ][rvas]seized in COR No.85/2020 on the file of [Prohibition ][and ][Excise]Station, Achampet. Petitioner fi1ed W.P.No.14089 [of ][2O2O ][praying]to direct the respondents to [grant ]interim custody of [the ][vehicle]pending disposal of confiscation proceedings. The said writpetition was disposed of directing the respondents to [grant ]interimcustody subject to petitioner furnishing fixed deposit receipt [for ][a]sum of t 50,000/-. Accordingly, petitioner furnished the [fixed]deposit receipt for t 50,000/-. On 28.1O.2O20, the DeputyCommissioner of Prohibition and Excise passed orders [granting]interim custody. However, on 29,1O.2O20, he passed final ordersin confiscation proceedings directing conliscation of the subjectvehicte. Aggrieved thereby, petitioner preferred Appeal No.162 I of2020. Along with the appeal, petitioner also filed application togrant interim custody of the vehicle.

2. Learned counsel for petitioner submits that even though thisCourt directed the respondents to grant interim custody of thesubject vehicle and even though the orders passed on 28.1O.2O2Ogranting interim custody, the custody of the vehicle is not given onthe ground that conliscation proceedings are passed, and thevehicle gets damaged if the interim custody is not granted pendingappeal, whereas the appellate authority has not passed any ordersin the interlocutory application. Copy of the appeal along with theapplication is filed in the writ petition paper book as Ex.P4.

3. Merely because the Court directed to grant interim custody,and in compliance with the directions of the Court, orders arepassed granting interim custody does not tnean that competentauthority is restrained from taking a decision in confiscationproceedings. Further, by the time interim custody of the vehicle isdelivered, if confiscation proceedings are passed, [petitioner ]cannotcontend that unless interim custody is [granted ]to him, conliscationproceedings cannot be passed.

4. However, as petitioner availed the statutorily engraftedremedy of appeal and along with the appeal also, he moved anapplication to grant interim custody of the [vehicle, ][without]expressing any opinion on merits of the respective [submissions,]Writ Petition is disposed of, directing the Commissioner ofProhibition and Excise to [pass ]orders in the Appeal [preferred ][by]the petitioner after affording due opportunity to him. [He ][shall ][also]consider the interlocutory application and [pass ]appropriate [orders,]as warranted by law, within a [period ]of trvo [weeks ][from ][the ][date of]receipt of a copy of this order. Pending [miscellaneous petitions]shall stand closed.

SD/.B.SATYAVATHIASSISTANT REGISTRAR//TRUE COPY'sEcIoN brrtceR

To,1.The Principal Secretary, [Prohibition ][and ][Excise Department, State of Telangana,]Secretariat, Hyderabad, [Telanqana.]2.ii" co.rirrlo""i oi crohibiti-on [and Excise, Mukhramjha Road, Abkari ][Bhavan,]2nd Floor, Hyderabad.9.ir,._ iiu. 6ommissioner, Prohibition [and ][Excise, ][Prohibition ][and ][Excise]Deoartment, l\rlahbubnagar [District.]4.fh'5" ['Strt,;"'- ]House" officer, [Prohibition ][Excise ][Station, ][Achampet']Mahaboobnagar.(One CC to [SrT ]Damodar [Mundra, ][Advocate ]tOPUQl6.i;; CGl;cF toiFror,inition [ahd Excise, Hign Court for the State ][of ][Telangana]at Hyderabad. [OUT]7.Two CD Copies.

MPN":,-'

HIGH COURT

DATED:3011212020

ORDERWP.No.24088 of 2020

DISPOSING OF THE WRIT PETITIONWITHOUT COSTSS\\J1co1in5rl:-o [l-\]1)r "1ot 1HEstAk)o0 7 IAN 20212**q..