Rajasthan High Court - Jodhpur
Kuljinder Kaur vs State Of Rajasthan on 20 October, 2022
Bench: Pushpendra Singh Bhati
HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE FOR RAJASTHAN AT
JODHPUR
S.B. Criminal Revision Petition No. 1217/2022
Kuljinder Kaur W/o Gurpreet Singh, Aged About 30 Years, R/o
Village Chuchak Vind, Tehsilj Ira, District Firojpur (Punjab)
Through Power Of Attorney Holder Shri Gurpreet Singh S/o
Nachtar Singh, Aged About 31 Years, Village Chuchak Vind,
Tehsil Jira, District Firojpur (Punjab)
----Petitioner
Versus
State Of Rajasthan, Through Pp
----Respondent
For Petitioner(s) : Mr. Varun Arora, on VC.
For Respondent(s) : Mr. Arun Kumar, PP.
HON'BLE DR. JUSTICE PUSHPENDRA SINGH BHATI
Order
20/10/2022
1. The petitioner has preferred this criminal revision petition
praying that the order dated 12.09.2022 passed by learned
Special Judge, NDPS Act Cases, Bikaner (Additional Sessions
Judge No.1, Bikaner) in Criminal Misc. Case No.172/2022, be set
aside, whereby the said court refused to release the car bearing
registration No.PB-47F-2777 (Maruti Vitara Brezza) to the
petitioner. The said vehicle was seized in connection with FIR
No.216/2022 registered at P.S. Jai Narayan Vyas Colony, District
Bikaner for the offence under Sections 8/18, 25, 29 of NDPS Act.
2. The learned counsel for the petitioner states at Bar that no
confiscation proceedings are pending qua the vehicle in-question
and the same is case property. The learned counsel for the
petitioner has relied upon Sunderbhai Ambalal Desai vs. State
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of Gujarat, (2002) 10 SCC 283, to contend that the Supreme
court has held that the vehicle should not be permitted to remain
parked in the police station as same shall gather rust and shall not
remain useful. The Hon'ble Apex Court in Sunderbhai (Supra) has
held as under:-
"15. Learned senior counsel Mr. Dholakia, appearing for the
State of Gujarat further submitted that at present in the
police station premises, number of vehicles are kept
unattended and vehicles become junk day by day. It is his
contention that appropriate directions should be given to
the Magistrate who are dealing with such questions to hand
over such vehicles to its owner or to the person from whom
the said vehicles are seized by taking appropriate bond and
the guarantee for the return of the said vehicles if required
by the Court at any point of time.
16. However, the learned counsel appearing for the
petitioners submitted that this question of handing over
vehicles to the person from whom it is seized or to its true
owner is always a matter of litigation and a lot of arguments
are advanced by the concerned persons.
17. In our view, whatever be the situation, it is of no use to
keep such seized vehicles at the police stations for a long
period. It is for the Magistrate to pass appropriate orders
immediately by taking appropriate bond and guarantee as
well as security for return of the said vehicles, if required at
any point of time. This can be done pending hearing of
applications for return of such vehicles.
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18. In case where the vehicle is not claimed by the accused,
owner, or the insurance company or by third person, then
such vehicle may be ordered to be auctioned by the Court.
If the said vehicle is insured with the insurance company
then insurance company be informed by the Court to take
possession of the vehicle which is not claimed by the owner
or a third person. If Insurance company fails to take
possession the vehicles may be sold as per the direction of
the Court. The Court would pass such order within a period
of six months from the date of production of the said vehicle
before the Court. In any case, before handing over
possession of such vehicles, appropriate photographs of the
said vehicle should be taken and detailed panchnama
should be prepared."
3. Learned PP is not in a position to refute the above position.
4. Heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the record
of the case.
5. Thus, relying upon the judgment of Supreme Court in the
case of Sunderbhai Ambalal Desai (supra) and order passed
by this Court in Pannaram Jat Vs. State of Rajasthan (S.B.
Criminal Revision Petition No.439/2020) decided on 29.06.2020
and Amra Vs. State of Rajasthan (S.B. Criminal Misc.(Pet.)
No.1657/2020) decided on 04.09.2020, the present revision
petition is allowed and the trial court is directed to release car
bearing registration No.PB-47F-2777 (Maruti Vitara Brezza) on
supardaginama in favour of petitioner on usual conditions, which the
trial court deems fit, provided she furnishes a bank guarantee of
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Rs.4,50,000/- before the trial court.
6. Needless to say, trial court shall make verification that the
petitioner is a registered owner of the said vehicle.
(DR.PUSHPENDRA SINGH BHATI), J.
30-/Jitender//-
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