Mohammed Matheen Vs the State of Karnataka — Writ and Judicial Review | Karnataka HC (2025)

Mohammed Matheen Vs the State of Karnataka — Writ and Judicial Review | Karnataka HC (2025)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Liberty reserved to petitioner to approach respondents for compounding of offences pending against vehicle No.KA-51/C-4075; upon completion of compounding, respondents directed to consider petitioner's application for surrender of documents for exemption of tax in accordance with law within two weeks of filing and to inform petitioner of the result.

Issue for consideration

Whether respondents could withhold consideration of petitioner's application for surrender of documents of vehicle No.KA-51/C-4075 (for exemption from tax) on the ground of pendency of enquiry amounting to blacklisting, and whether the alleged blacklisting and the endorsement dated 17.07.2025 should be quashed.

Court's answer

Writ petition disposed of, reserving liberty to petitioner to approach respondents for compounding of offences in relation to which enquiry/enquiries may be pending against the vehicle.

Ratio / Principle

On completion of the process of compounding of offences, if petitioner files an application for surrender of documents for exemption of tax, respondents shall consider it in accordance with law within two weeks from the date of such application and inform petitioner of the result.

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

W.P. No. 26394/2025 (MV), High Court of Karnataka (Ravi V Hosmani, J.), order dated 01.09.2025 — Mohammed Matheen sought a writ of certiorari to quash the alleged blacklisting of vehicle No.KA-51/C-4075 founded on check reports dated 21.11.2023, 15.09.2023, 08.09.2022 and 02.11.2022 (Annexure-D) and the endorsement dated 17.07.2025 issued by the Regional Transport Officer, Chandapura (City) in No.RTO/CHANDAPURA/SR/2025-26 (Annexure-C), together with a direction to receive his application dated 30.06.2025 (Annexure-G) for surrender of the vehicle's documents for exemption from tax. The RTO had declined to process the surrender application citing pendency of enquiry, which the petitioner contended amounted to blacklisting, invoking earlier decisions of the same Court at Annexures-E and F to urge that blacklisting without opportunity is unsustainable. On Court query it was observed that Annexures-C and D do not indicate any order of blacklisting; counsel offered to compound pending offences, and the learned AGA submitted that compounding applications would be considered in accordance with law and the surrender/tax-exemption application processed thereafter. Disposing of the petition, the Court reserved liberty to the petitioner to approach the respondents for compounding of offences and directed that, upon completion of compounding, the application for surrender of documents for exemption of tax be considered in accordance with law within two weeks of filing, with intimation of the result to the petitioner.

1 -

NC: 2025:KHC:34141 WP No. 26394 of 2025

HC-KAR

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 1^ST DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2025

BEFORE

THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE RAVI V HOSMANI

WRIT PETITION NO. 26394 OF 2025 (MV)

BETWEEN:

MOHAMMED MATHEEN AGED ABOUT 54 YEARS S/O LATE PACHA SAHEB NAGARAJ COMPLEX NEAR AYYAPPA TEMPLE ATTIBELE, ANEKAL BENGALURU - 562 107.

…PETITIONER

(BY SRI NAGESHA M.E, ADV.)

AND:

Digitally signed by NANDINI M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA

THE STATE OF KARNATAKA BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT

M.S.BUILDING DR. AMBEDKAR VEEDHI BENGALURU - 560 001.

THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT TTMC BUILDING K.H.ROAD BENGALURU - 560 027.

THE SECREARY STATE TRANSPORT AUTHORITY TTMC BUILDILNG K.H.ROAD BENGALURU - 560 027.

2 -

NC: 2025:KHC:34141 WP No. 26394 of 2025

HC-KAR

THE REGIONAL TRANSPORT OFFICER CHANDAPURA BENGALURU CITY PIN - 562 107.

THE REGIONAL TRANSPORT OFFICER BELAGAVI - 590 003.

THE REGIONAL TRANSPORT OFFICER DHARWAD WEST - 580 001.

…RESPONDENTS

(BY SMT. VAHEEDA, AGA)

THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 & 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INIDA PRAYING TO CALL FOR RECORDSB) ISSUE A WRIT OF CERTIORARI QUASHING THE BLACKLISTING OF THE VEHICLE OF THE PETITIONER NO.KA-51/C-4075 FOR THE CHECK REPORT DTD 21.11.2023, 15.09.2023, 08.09.2022 AND 02.11.2022 AS PER ANNEXURE D DATED CONSEQUENTLY QUASHING THE ENDORSEMENT 17.07.2025 ISSUED BY THE REGIONAL TRANSPORT OFFICER.CHANDAPURA (CITY) IN NO.RTO/CHANDAPURA/SR/2025-26 AS PER ANNEXURE C WITH A DIRECTION TO RECEIVE THE APPLICATION DATED. 30.06.2025 FILED IN RESPECT OF THE VEHICLE NO.KA-51/C4075 VIDE ANNX-G FOR SURRENDER OF DOCUMENTS.

THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE RAVI V HOSMANI

ORAL ORDER

Sri M.E. Nagesha, learned counsel for petitioner submits

that petitioner applied for surrendering of documents of vehicle bearing registration No.KA-51/C-4075 before respondent no.4. But same was not being considered on ground of pendency of certain enquiry, which amounted to black listing and submitted

3 -

NC: 2025:KHC:34141 WP No. 26394 of 2025

HC-KAR

that this Court in its decisions at Annexures-E and F herein, has

held that order of black listing without providing opportunity would be unsustainable and seeks for similar order.

To a Court query that Annexures-C and D do not indicate any order of black listing, learned counsel submits that petitioner is ready to compound any offences for which enquiry may be pending and submits that on compounding of same, respondents may be directed to process application for surrender of documents for exemption of above mentioned vehicle from tax.

Learned AGA, accepting notice for respondents would submit that in case petitioner approaches respondents for compounding of offences for which enquiry were pending, same would be considered in accordance with law and after compounding of offences, petitioner's application for surrender of documents and exemption from tax would be considered as per law.

Heard learned counsel and perused writ petition.

4 -

NC: 2025:KHC:34141 WP No. 26394 of 2025

HC-KAR

In view of above submission, writ petition is disposed of

reserving liberty to petitioner to approach respondents for compounding of offences in relation to which enquiry/enquiries may be pending against above mentioned vehicle. On completion of process of compounding of offences, in event petitioner files application for surrender of documents for exemption of tax, respondents to consider same in accordance with law within a period of two weeks from date of such application and inform petitioner of result.

Sd /- (RAVI V HOSMANI) JUDGE

DN