The Act does not authorize the confiscation of a vehicle solely based on the driver being in a drunken condition.

Rajendra Menon, J.

Challenging the action of the District Magistrate, Jamui, to confiscate a motorcycle bearing Registration No.53B 7198, which has been seized in connection with Malaypur P.S. Case No.79C2/18 for violation of the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, 2016 (hereinafter referred to as 'the Act'), this writ petition has been filed.

2. Earlier also, when the same action was taken, the petitioner approached this Court in CWJC No.5277 of 2018 and we, by an order passed on 22.03.2018, as has been done in a large number of cases, directed for release of the vehicle pending finalization of the confiscation case on the petitioner furnishing two surety bonds to the satisfaction of the District Magistrate and further undertaking to produce the vehicle as and when directed by the authority concerned and not to alienate or deal with the vehicle in question or create a third party interest during the pendency of the confiscation proceedings.

3. When the petitioner approached the District Magistrate for release of the vehicle, the District Magistrate has passed a detailed order and has issued the following directions:-

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27-04-2018

;g vf/kgj.k okn v/kh{kd mRikn] teqbZ ds i=kad 132@m0 fnukad 23-02-2018 ds vkyksd esa fcgkj e|fu”ks| vkSj mRikn vf/kfu;e] 2016 ds rgr tCr eksVj lkbZdy jft0 u0 ch0vkj0 53ch0 7198 dk vf/kgj.k djus gsrq vkjEHk fd;k x;k gS A

foi{kh jkts’k dqekj iafMr mQZ jkts’k iafMr is0&peVw iafMr lk0&vktkn uxj] okMZ ua0& 18 Fkkuk & teqbZ ftyk & teqbZ LFkk;h irk lk0& c#vV~Vk Fkkuk & teqbZ ftyk & teqbZ }kjk C.W.J.C No. – 5277/2018 Rajesh Kumar Pandit @ Rajesh Pandint Vs. The State of Bihar & Ors. esa ekuuh; mPp U;k;ky;] iVuk ds U;k;kns’k fnukad 22-03-2018 ds vkyksd esa tCr okgu eksVj lkbZdy jft0 ua0 & ch0vkj0 53ch0 7198 dks eqDr djus gsrq ÁkFkZuk fd;k x;k A

foi{kh ds fo}ku vf/koDrk dks lquk ,oa C.W.J.C No. – 5277/2018 Rajesh Kumar Pandit @ Rajesh Pandint Vs. The State of Bihar & Ors. esa ekuuh; mPp U;k;ky;] iVuk ds U;k;kns’k fnukad 22-03-2018 dk voyksdu fd;k A C.W.J.C No. – 5277/2018 Rajesh Kumar Pandit @ Rajesh Pandint Vs. The State of Bihar & Ors. esa ekuuh; mPp U;k;ky;] iVuk ds U;k;kns’k fnukad 22-03-2018 ds vuqikyu esa voj fujh{kd mRikn] pfy”.kq ny] teqbZ ds okn la& 79C2/2018 esa tCr okgu eksVj lkbZfdy jft0 ua0& ch0vkj0 53ch0 7198 dks ewy Registration Certificate, Insurance vkfn okgu dk dkxtkr fn[kkus ij fuEukafdr ‘krkasZ ij eqDr djus dk vkns’k fn;k tkrk gS % &

1- okgu ekfyd dks vius okgu dh eqfDr ds fy, eks0&42]000-00 ¼c;kyhl gtkj½ #i;s dk Personal Bond cSad xkjUVh ds #i esa ,oa eks0&42]000-00 ¼c;kyhl gtkj½ #i;s dk nks Surety rFkk bl vk’k; dk ‘kiFk&i= vf/k{kd mRikn] teqbZ ds le{k lefiZr djuk vfuok;Z gksxk fd vko’;drk iM+us ij okgu ekfyd vius okgu dks U;k;ky; ds vkns’kkuqlkj fufnZ”V LFkku ,oa le; ij miLFkkfir djsaxas A

2- okgu ekfyd vius okgu dk QksVksxzkQ ftlesa okgu dk Registration Number ,oa Chassis Number Li”V fn[k jgk gks dh QksVksxzkQ v/kh{kd mRikn] teqbZ dh mifLFkfr esa djsaxsa rFkk mldh Áfr v/kh{kd mRikn] teqbZ ,oa bl U;k;ky; dks miyC/k djk;saxas A

3- okgu ekfyd ds Personal Bond ,oa Bond of Surety ij okgu ekfyd ,oa igpkudrkZ dk QksVksxzkQ] iw.kZ irk] eksckbZy uEcj] vk/kkj dkMZ uEcj] iSu dkMZ LovfHkÁekf.kr Áfr ds lkFk rFkk Bond of Surety ij igpkudrkZ dk Hkh QksVksxzkQ layXu gksxk rFkk igpkudrkZ dk Hkh iwjk irk lk{; ds lkFk layXu gksxk A

4- okgu ekfyd dks ;g ‘kiFk&i= nsuk vfuok;Z gksxk fd os okgu dk Ownership Transfer ugha djsaxas vkSj u bls fdlh dks Lease ij nsaxas vkSj Third Party Interest dks Alienate ;k Create djsaxas vkSj u bldh cukoV esa fdlh rjg dk ifjorZu u rks Lo;a djsaxas vkSj u fdlh nwljs dks djus dh vuqefr nsaxas] rkfd bldh igpku cjdjkj jgs A

5- okgu ekfyd okgu dk Á;ksx djus dh vuqefr vlkekftd xfrfof/k;ksa ds fy, ugha nsaxas A

6- Confiscation dk vkns’k ikfjr djrs le; okgu ekfyd vius okgu dks U;k;ky; ds vkns’k ds vuq#i Confiscation ds fy, miLFkkfir djsaxas A

7- vxj Confiscation Case dh lquokbZ esa xSj gkftj gksaxas rks Surety tCr dj yh tk;sxh A

v/kh{kd mRikn] teqb