O R D E R

The Civil Revision Petition has been filed challenging the judgment dated 02.07.2020 in CMA No.4 of 2018 of the Additional District Judge-III, Manjeri. The petitioner’s excavator loader (JCB) bearing Registration No.KL-17/G- 3337 was seized by the 1^st respondent on a mahazar while digging a well in the property of the 7^th respondent for collecting drinking water. The allegation against the petitioner is that there was violation of the provisions of the Kerala Conservation of Paddy and Wetland Act , 2008 (for short, ‘the 2008 Act’). The request made by the 7^th respondent, who hired the petitioner’s vehicle, for releasing the vehicle was turned down and the vehicle was kept in the courtyard of the 2^nd respondent exposed to sun and rain. The 6th respondent ordered confiscation of the vehicle. By judgment dated 02.07.2020, the court below dismissed the statutory appeal filed by the revision petitioner.

2. The case of the petitioner is that the vehicle was used only for digging a well and not for any reclamation or conversion of wet land or paddy land. It is also stated that the 7^th respondent being the owner of the property, had hired the vehicle, and the activity was carrie