I N THE HI GH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA AT HYDERABAD HON’BLE MRS. JUSTI CE SUREPALLI NANDA DATE: 31.03.2026 Between:

Shaik Jakeer …Petitioner And The State of Telangana, Rep. by its Principal Secretary, Consumer Affairs, Food and Civil Supplies Department, Secretariat Buildings, Hyderabad and others …Respondents

ORDER

Heard Sri Alluri Divakar Reddy, learned counsel

Assistant Government Pleader for Civil Supplies

learned Assistant Government Pleader for Home

2. The petitioner approached the Court seeking prayer as under:

“…this Hon'ble Court may be pleased to pass an orders, or issue any directions or issue any appropriate writ more particularly in the nature of WRIT OF MANDAMUS declaring the action of the Respondents in seizing the vehicle of the petitioner i.e. TATA ACE bearing No. AP25X5668 in relation to Cr. No. 13 of 2026 dated 10.03.2026 on the file of Station House Officer, Yergatla P.S., Nizamabad District as being illegal and arbitrary, consequently direct the respondents to release the vehicle of the petitioner i.e. TATA ACE bearing No. AP25X5668 in relation to Cr. No. 13 of 2026 dated 10.03.2026 on the file of Station House Officer, Yergatla P.S. and to pass any such other order or orders as this Hon'ble Court may deem fit and proper in the circumstances of the case.”

3. The case of the petitioner in brief as per the averments made in the affidavit filed by the petitioner in support of the present Writ Petition is as under:-

i) The petitioner is the owner of vehicle i.e., TATA ACE bearing registration No. AP25X5668 and has filed the present writ petition challenging the action of the respondents in seizing the said vehicle in connection with Crime No.13 of 2026 dated 10.03.2026 on the file of Yergatla Police Station, Nizamabad District.

ii) A case was registered against the petitioner and petitioner was arrayed as accused No.2 in the said crime. The respondent authorities seized the petitioner’s vehicle on the ground that it was involved in transporting the PDS rice.

iii) Though the criminal proceedings in Crime No.13 of 2026 had already been quashed by this Court by order dated 18.03.2026 in Crl.P No.3982 of 2026, the respondents are continuing to retain the vehicle in their custody. Aggrieved by the same, the petitioner approached this Court by filing the present writ petition.

DI SCUSSI ON AND CONCLUSI ON:

4. Learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner mainly puts forth the following submissions:

4.1 The vehicle of the petitioner i.e., TATA ACE bearing registration No. AP25X5668 was seized on 10.03.2026 in connection with Crime No. 13 of 2026 on the file of Yergatla Police Station, Nizamabad District.

4.2 Respondent No.3 lodged a complaint stating that on 09.03.2026 at about 16:00 hours, on receipt of credible information from Task Force Team No.3 (Supplies), Hyderabad, that PDS rice was being illegally transported from Gummiryal Village to Domachanda Village in the said vehicle, the respondent No.3 had rushed to Katipally Raghupathi Reddy Drying Platform and found PDS rice stocks stored at the premises and in the said vehicle. On enquiry, the driver admitted that he had been procuring PDS rice from nearby villages at a lower price and selling the same in the open market without any valid documents.

4.3 During inspection, PDS rice weighing 149.40 quintals (271 bags) was found at the premises and 11.60 quintals (33 bags) was found in the vehicle, totaling 166.00 quintals (304 bags), and the same was seized and shifted to MLS Point, Morthad Village, while the vehicle was handed over to the Station House Officer, Yergatla Police Station, for safe custody.

4.4 Inspite of the petitioner making several requests to Respondent No.4 for release of the seized vehicle, the same has not been released till date.

Based on the aforesaid submissions, learned contends that the petitioner is entitled to the relief as prayed for by the petitioner in the present writ petition.

5. Learned Assistant Government Pleader for Civil Suppl