ORDER

This criminal petition is filed by the petitioner seeking to release the petitioner’s vehicle namely Motor Car bearing Reg.No.TG-15-FG-2298 seized in Crime No.332 of 2025.

2. Heard Mr.K.Krishna Kalyan, learned counsel for the petitioner and Mr.Jithendar Rao Veeramalla, learned Additional Public Prosecutor appearing for respondents.

3. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner is the owner of the vehicle bearing registration No.TG-15-FG-2298. The said vehicle was seized in connection with Crime No.332 of 2025 on 29.08.2025 and since then the vehicle is under the custody of Respondent No.2. Unless the said vehicle is released, the petitioner will be put to great hardship.

4. Learned Additional Public Prosecutor submits that the petitioner has filed the present petition without first filing an appropriate application before the trial Court, and therefore, the present petition is not maintainable under law.

5. By way of reply, the learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner may be granted liberty to approach the competent jurisdictional Court for filing necessary application and the said Court may be directed to decide the said application by fixing a time limit.

6. The said submission is not opposed by the learned Additional Public Prosecutor.

7. Having considered the rival submissions made by the respective parties and upon perusal of the material available on record, it reveals that the petitioner is the owner of the vehicle bearing No.TG-15-FG-2298, which was seized in connection with Crime No. 332 of 2025 for the offences punishable under Sections 8 (c) r/w. 21 (c), 22 (c), 27 (A), 25 and 29 of Narcotic and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. The record further reveals that the petitioner has not filed any application for interim custody of the said vehicle before the competent Court and has, instead, directly approached this Court by filing the present petition.

8. Taking into consideration the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case and submissions made by both the parties, the petitioner is granted liberty to file an appropriate application before the competent Court seeking release of the vehicle. On such application, the learned trial Court is directed to consider the same and pass appropriate orders in accordance with law, as expeditiously as possible preferably within a period of one week from the date of filing of the said application.

9. Accordingly, criminal petition is disposed of.

As a sequel, miscellaneous petitions, pending if any, stand closed.