AUTHORISED OFFICER Vs. PRASHANTH PAI P.R.

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Petitioner-authorized officer under the Karnataka Forest Act, 1963, is invoking the writ jurisdiction of this Court for assailing the judgment dtd. 20/4/2012 (Annexure A) whereby the learned III Addl. Sessions Judge, D.K. District, Mangaluru, having allowed Respondent's Criminal Appeal No.145/2010 has facilitated release of the subject vehicle in his favour.

(2.) The respondent despite service of notice has chosen to remain unrepresented. However, that will not come in the way of the Court disposing off this old matter, in accordance with law, inasmuch as no adverse order is being passed against him in the fitness of circumstances mentioned supra.

(3.) Having heard the learned AGA for the petitioner and having perused the Petition Papers, this court is of the considered opinion that the provisions of Sec. 71(A)(2) of the 1963 Act permit any authorized officer or any government official to seize the vehicle or/and the substances specified in the sec. , that are involved in a 'forest offence' as rightly submitted by learned AGA.