I N THE HI GH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA AT HYDERABAD HON’BLE MRS. JUSTI CE SUREPALLI NANDA WRI T PETI TI ON No.7317 OF 2026 DATE: 10.03.2026 Between :

Bhumanna Rayavos Voraganti … Petitioner A ND The State of Telangana, Rep. by its Principal Secretary, Transport, Roads and Buildings Department, Secretariat, Hyderabad and 3 others … Respondents

ORDER

Heard Smt. Sahithi Sri Kavya Mukkera, learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner, learned Assistant Government Pleader for Transport, appearing on behalf of respondent Nos.1 to 4.

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

“…to issue any writ, or order or direction more particularly one in the nature of writ of Mandamus declaring the action of the respondent No.4 insisting to pay exorbitant amount of 200 % penalty without assigning any reasons and seizing the vehicle of the petitioner bearing No. TS18T7748 by issuing vehicle check report No. 151098 dated 28/03/2024 as illegally, arbitrary and unsustainable and consequently direct the respondents to release the vehicle in the interest of justice without insisting on payment of exorbitant amount of 200 % penalty and to pass...”.

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:-

The petitioner is the registered owner of the vehicle bearing No. TS18T7748. On 28.03.2024, the respondent No.4 seized the said vehicle by issuing a vehicle check report No. 151098 for not producing vehicle documents. The respondent No.4 has not issued any prior notice to the petitioner before seizing the vehicle. The petitioner was directed to pay quarterly tax of Rs.1,15,325/- and the respondents have imposed an exorbitant amount of 200% penalty on the tax amount for 3 quarters. The petitioner is not in a position to pay such huge amount of Rs.13,83,900/ for 3 quarters. The vehicle of the petitioner had been in the custody of respondents since 28.03.2024. Aggrieved thereby the petitioner filed the present writ petition.

PERUSED THE RECORD

4. The learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner mainly puts forth the following submissions (i) The vehicle of the petitioner bearing No.TS18T7748 had been seized by issuing vehicle check report No.151098 dated 28.03.2024 and the same had not been released to the petitioner herein. The respondent authorities had imposed an exorbitant amount of 200%

penalty on the tax amount for 3 quarters.

(ii) The petitioner is ready and willing to pay the admitted tax amount along with 100% of the compounding fee, but however, the imposition of a 200 % penalty is unjustified and contrary to law. Based on the aforesaid submissions, learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner contends that appropriate orders may be passed for the release of vehicle bearing No.TS18T7748 since the vehicle is being used for livelihood on a rental basis.

5. The learned Assistant Government Pleader for Transport, appearing on behalf of respondent Nos.1 to 4 fairly submits that the writ petition could be disposed of by directing the respondents to release the vehicle bearing No.TS18T7748, which had been seized under vehicle check report No.151098, dated 28.03.2024 within a reasonable period upon the petitioner depositing the admitted tax amount along with the compounding fee.

6. The learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner does not dispute the said submissions of the learned Asst. Government Pleader for Transport, appearing on behalf of respondent Nos.1 to 4.

DI SCUSSI ON AND CONCLUSI ON:

7. This Court, on the bare perusal of record, opines that the petitioner’s vehicle bearing No. TS18T7748, which is under continued detention is not justified, especially when the petitioner has shown willingness to comply with the law by paying the admitted tax along with 100% of compounding fee. The imposition of a 200% penalty, at this stage, appears excessive and should not stand in the way of releasing