Petitioner's vehicle KL 60D/9685 was seized while transporting river sand on the allegation that the petitioner has committed offence under Section 23 of Kerala Protection of River Banks and Regulation of Removal of Sand Act 2001. It is stated that the vehicle is in the custody of the first respondent. 2. Heard the learned Government Pleader.
3. This issue has been considered by a Division Bench in the decision reported in Sujith vs. State of Kerala (2012 (2) KLT 547), which is held as under :
“Therefore, in exercise of jurisdiction under Art.226 of the Constitution of India, it is hereby ordered that the revenue and police authorities, while effecting seizure, shall ensure that any revenue official effecting the seizure, notifies such seizure, also to a police official, over and above the requirement in S.22 of the Act and the Rules. That police official may effect seizure of those goods and report such seizure to the jurisdictional Magistrate in accordance with law and any police officer effecting seizure shall, apart from reporting any such seizure to the jurisdictional Magistrate, also place a report of such seizure before the concerned revenue authority so that action can follow through the criminal court and through the revenue authority in terms of the laws. Following the aforesaid, it is further ordered that in all pending cases, the competent police officer shall effect seizure and report the same to the jurisdictional Magistrate, if not already done and the competent revenue authority shall make appropriate complaint to the jurisdictional Magistrate at the earliest. This would also enable the owners of the goods or vehicles to apply for interim custody in terms of S. 451 or 457 Crl.P.C., as the case may be. In ordering release, the Judicial Magistrate shall be guided by the terms laid down by the Full Bench of this Court in Shan v. State of Kerala (2010(3) KLT 413(F.B.)). The appropriate authorities shall also file complaints for initiating prosecution in all cases, where offences under the Act are disclosed. These directions shall apply in dealing with sand and vehicles, seized by the police or revenue authority under the provisions of the Act or the Code of Criminal Procedure, over and above the directions in Moosakoya (supra) and Shoukathali (supra), until appropriate legislative provisions are brought in, which event, we hope, shall come at the earliest. “ That apart a Full Bench of this Court had already issued certain directions with reference to the handing over of interim custody of the vehicle seized under the provisions of the aforesaid Act. The judgment is reported in Shan C.T. v. State of Kerala [2010 (3) KHC 333]. Having regard to the law laid down by the Division Bench in Sujith's Case (supra) and the Full Bench in Shan C.T.'s case (supra), I am of the view that this writ petition can be disposed of as under.
The first respondent shall place the records before the second respondent and appropriate orders shall be passed within seven days from the date of receipt of a copy of this judgment.
A.M.SHAFFIQUE, JUDGE jm/