Patna: The Patna High Court has delivered a significant verdict, ruling that confiscating a stolen vehicle in connection with a liquor-related case is illegal when there is no evidence implicating the owner. The court also ordered the state government to pay Rs. 10,000 to the petitioner as litigation costs.
The decision, handed down by a bench comprising Justice Rajiv Ranjan Prasad and Justice Saurendra Pandey, emphasizes that when a vehicle has been stolen and the owner is not linked to the crime, any punitive action or seizure is unlawful.
The case involved Ali Ashraf Siddiqui, whose car was stolen on May 6, 2024 and later found with illegal liquor. Despite the theft, district officials in Siwan moved forward with seizure and auction proceedings, which were upheld by appellate authorities.
The court, citing precedent from Suneena vs Bihar State (2023), overturned these actions, noting that the owner’s role was not suspect, and ordered that the vehicle be returned within three days. The court further clarified that the government may recover the litigation costs from any officers responsible for the wrongful seizure.
Petitioner Siddiqui, represented by lawyers Satish Chandra Mishra and Nurul Hoda, welcomed the decision as a reaffirmation of citizens’ legal rights.
