Disposed

S Venkata Rao v. the State of Telangana

Telangana HC18 Feb 2020WP/3321/2020

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

The Court held that police custody of a vehicle in a drunk-drive case is not unlimited. The petitioner was directed to produce documents to forward the release of the vehicle upon payment of the prescribed fine, distinguishing mere inability to drive from total forfeiture of custody.

What did the court decide?

Vehicle shall be released forthwith upon production of documents and payment of prescribed fine for non-production.

S Venkata Rao Vs the State of Telangana — Motor Accident Claims | Telangana HC (2020)

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THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTI CE T.VI NOD KUMAR

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WRI T PETI TI ON No.3321 of 2020

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O R D E R :

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Questioning the action of the 4^th respondent in detaining the petitioner’s vehicle bearing registration No.AP 09 CU 0833, CB Shine Front Disk Brake Motor Cycle 2013 model, the present writ petition is filed.

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The case of the petitioner is that, the petitioner is the owner of the vehicle in question and that on 24.01.2020 at 23.18 hours, when he reached Shilparamam, Hitech City of Madhapur Traffic Police jurisdiction on the main road, the 5^th respondent and other Constables who were deployed there to check vehicles and to determine whether the drivers of those vehicles were in inebriated condition or not, stopped him and subjected him to breath analyzer test and alleged that he is in an inebriated state and seized his vehicle, and that the said vehicle is presently lying at Madhapur Police Station in the open space and he was also issued with e-challan mentioning violations under Sections 185(a), 130/177 and 207 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (for short, ‘the M.V.Act’), which are not applicable to drunk and drive cases. The grievance of the petitioner is that the 5^th respondent has no jurisdiction to detain his vehicle.

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Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Government Pleaders appearing for the respondents.

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Learned Assistant Government Pleader for Home appearing for respondents states that, on being stopped by the respondent police for checking drunk and drive, since the petitioner was not in a position to drive the vehicle and as he did not produce the relevant documents, the police authorities have taken custody of the vehicle temporarily and

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placed the vehicle at the 5^th respondent police station by exercising powers under Section 207 of the M.V.Act. Learned Assistant Government Pleader would further submit that on production of the documents and paying prescribed fine, the vehicle would be released to the petitioner.

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In so far as the police authorities taking custody of the vehicle on the driver being found in inebriated condition, this Court in W.P.No.2361 of 2019 observed that ‘Even if the driver on that particular day was unable to drive the vehicle, that does not mean that respondents can retain the vehicle.’

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Having regard to the above, the petitioner is directed to appear before the 5^th respondent with documents of the vehicle in question, along with proof of his identity. Upon the petitioner approaching the 5^th respondent or other official, who has the custody of the vehicle in question and making an application for release of the vehicle together with relevant documents, the said authority shall consider the same and release the vehicle to the petitioner forthwith by collecting the fine as prescribed under the M.V. Act for non-production of the documents and also if such vehicle is not involved in any other case.

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Subject to the above observations, the writ petition is disposed of. Pending miscellaneous petitions, if any, shall stand closed in the light of this final order. No order as to costs.

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_____________________ JUSTI CE T.VI NOD KUMAR

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Date:18.02.2020

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S Venkata Rao v. the State of Telangana

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

S Venkata Rao v. the State of Telangana

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

What the court decided

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