Ayyappan @ Iyappan v. The State Represented By

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED : 10.09.2020

CORAM

THE HON'BLE Mr. JUSTICE P.N. PRAKASH Crl.R.C.No.660 of 2020 Ayyappan @ Iyappan ... Petitioner/Accused owner of the vehicle Vs.

State represented by The Inspector of Police, Sirkazhi Nagapattinam District.

... Respondent/Complainant Criminal Revision filed under Section 397 r/w 401 Cr.P.C. seeking to set aside the order passed by the learned District and Sessions Judge, Nagapattinam District in Crl.M.P.No.1533 of 2020, dated 29.06.2020 and subsequently, direct the lower court to entertain the petition and to order release of the vehicle namely Mahindra Tractor & Trailer bearing registration No.TN51 Q 9652.

For Petitioner :

Mr.N.Sakthivel For Respondent :

Mrs.P.Kritika Kamal Government Advocate (Crl. Side)

O R D E R

This case is taken up through video conferencing. 2.

This criminal revision has been filed seeking to set aside the order dated 29.06.2020 passed in Crl.M.P.No.1533 of 2020 on the file of the District & Sessions Court, Nagapattinam, and for return of his vehicle seized by the respondent.

3.

The petitioner (A1) is the owner of Mahindra Tractor with Trailer bearing Registration No.TN-51-Q-9652, which was seized on 12.04.2020, while transporting one unit of clay and a case was registered in Crime No.289 of 2020 for the offence under Section 188, 269, 379 IPC & 21(1) of Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulations) Act, 1957. The petitioner filed Crl.M.P.No.1533 of 2020 before the District and Sessions Court, Nagapattinam under Section 451 Cr.P.C. for interim

custody of the vehicle, which was dismissed on 29.06.2020, challenging which, the petitioner has preferred the present revision petition.

4.

Heard Mr.N.Sakthivel, learned counsel for the petitioner and Mrs.P.Kritika Kamal, learned Government Advocate (Crl. Side) appearing for the respondent/State. 5.

It is seen that the seizure was effected on 12.04.2020 and the vehicle is in the police station, open to sun and rain.

6.

Taking into consideration the aforesaid facts and in view of the guidelines given by the Supreme Court in Sunderbhai Ambalal Desai Vs. State of Gujarat reported in (2002) 10 SCC 290, this Court is of the view that interests of justice will be served, if the vehicle is ordered to be released to the petitioner on certain stringent conditions. The respondent police is directed to grant interim custody of the said vehicle (Mahindra Tractor & Trailer) bearing Registration No. TN51 Q 9652 to the petitioner within a period of 7 days from the date of compliance of the below mentioned condition Nos.(i) to (iii) :

(i) The petitioner shall deposit a sum of Rs.50,000/- before the jurisdictional Tahsildar as non-refundable deposit. After receipt of the above said amount, the same will have to be deposited by the Tahsildar, to the credit of the District Mines and Minerals Foundation Trust, Nagapattinam, as non-refundable deposit;

(ii) The petitioner shall execute a personal bond for a sum of Rs.50,000/- with two sureties each, for a like sum to the satisfaction of the District and Sessions Court, Nagapattinam. The petitioner and the sureties shall affix their photographs and give the copies of their Aadhaar Card;

(iii)The petitioner shall give an undertaking before the respondent/ authority concerned stating that he will not use the vehicle in question for any illegal activities in future and shall produce the same as and when required by the respondent and also the trial Court, failing which the respondent/trial Court is at liberty to confiscate the vehicle;

(iv) The petitioner shall not alienate the vehicle in question till the disposal of the proceedings before the authority concerned;

(v) The petitioner shall take photograph of the vehicle and submit the same along with Compact Disc duly certified under Section 65-B of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872;

(vi) The petitioner shall surrender the original R.C. book before the District and Sessions Court, Nagapattinam; and (vii)The petitioner is also directed to participate in the enquiry to be conducted by the respondent.

Petition relating to return of R.C. Book for any purpose in the future, may be filed before the District and Sessions Court, Nagapattinam, who may consider the same on merits, though this order has been passed by the High Court.

7. This petition is allowed in the above terms and the order dated 29.06.2020 passed in Crl.M.P.No.1533 of 2020 on the file of the District and Sessions Court, Nagapattinam, is set aside.

Sd/- Assistant Registrar(CCC) //True Copy// Sub Assistant Registrar ds To:

1.The District and Sessions Judge, Nagapattinam 2.The Tahsildar, Nagapattinam District.

3.The Inspector of Police, Sirkazhi, Nagapattinam District.

4.The Public Prosecutor, Madras High Court, Chennai - 600 104.

Crl.R.C.No.660 of 2020 PP(CO) CB(14/10/2020)