Seizure of vehicles for illegal sand transportation must comply with existing regulations, and the owner may seek release through proper representation.

ORDER :

1. This Writ Petition is filed seeking the following relief:-

“to issue a Writ Order or Direction more particularly one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus declaring the seizure of the 3rd respondent police in seizing the petitioner vehicles i.e., Tractor bearing No.TS-31-T-1015 and Trailer No.TS-31-T-2076 and kept into the police station on the ground of illegal transportation of the sand without looking into the valid permission of transporting the sand by the petitioner vide Booking ID No.MIVB2025138421 allotted date 14.05.2025 Order Tracking ID.MIV020255655017, illegally and highhandedly seized the vehicles of the petitioner and kept the said vehicle into the custody of the 3rd respondent police station is highly illegal, arbitrary and against the principles of natural justice and also violative of Articles 14, 19, 21 and 300-A of Constitution of India and consequently directed the respondents particularly 3rd respondent police to release and handover the seized vehicles to the petitioner immediately in the interest of justice and to pass...”

2. Heard Sri G. Chandrasekhar, learned counsel for the petitioner, learned Assistant Government Pleader for Home appearing for respondent Nos.1 to 3 and learned Assistant Government Pleader for Mines and Geology appearing for respondent No.4. With their consent, writ petition is disposed of at the admission stage itself.

3. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner is the absolute owner and possessor of the vehicle Tractor bearing No. TS-31-T-1015 and Trailer bearing No.TS-31-T-2076. The said vehicle was seized by the 3^rd respondent in connection with Crime No.69 of 2025 on the alleged ground that petitioner is transporting sand illegally. Crime No.69 of 2025 was registered on 14.05.2025 for the offences under Section 3 03 (2) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita ( BNS ), Section 21 (1) of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act) and Section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984 (PDPPA). The said vehicle is under the custody of 3^rd respondent.

4. Learned counsel further submits that petitioner is ready and willing to cooperate with the investigation and in similar circumstances, this Court disposed of W.P.No.8163 of 2025 on 18.03.2025 with certain conditions. Therefore, the petitioner is entitled for the very same order.

5. Learned Assistant Government Pleader for Home and learned Assistant Government Pleader for Mines and Geology has not disputed the same.

6. In the light of the said submission, it is appropriate to extract Rule 12 of the Telangana State Sand Mining Rules , 2015, which is as under:

“12. For the Rule-13, under the heading ”Offences” the following shall be substituted “Any vehicle found transporting sand without valid transit pass issued by the Asst. Director of Mines & Geology concerned to Telangana State Mineral Development Corporation OR transit form issued to the pattadar for de-casting sand from patta land will be deemed illegal and in contravention of these rules.” The definition of transit form and transit pass is as described below:

(1) Any vehicle transporting sand along with transit pass issued by the Asst. Director of Mines & Geology concerned to Telangana State Mineral Development Corporation OR transit form issued to the pattadar, if found, carrying sand in excess of the quantity specified in the transit p