KRISHNAMOORTHY Vs. STATE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The above Criminal Revision Cases have been filed by different petitioners challenging the orders passed by the court below at Nagapattinam rejecting the plea of the petitioners for return of vehicles, which are alleged to have involved in illegal sand mining, resultantly seized by the respondent police.

(2.) The cause of action for all the above Criminal Revision Cases arose at Nagapattinam District, where, on interception made by the authorities, the vehicles, which are sought to be released in the above cases were found involved in offences for having transported illegally quarried sand/savudu or caused damage to water bodies and thereupon, the respondent police had registered cases under Ss. 379 IPC and Sec. 21(1) of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, seized the vehicles in question and kept in the custody of the respondent police. The petitioners, having failed in their attempt to get an order from the court below for return of vehicles, have approached this court.

(3.) The sum and substance of the submissions of the learned counsel appearing for the respective petitioners is that the petitioners are innocents and false cases have been foisted against them and the vehicles seized are left idle in open space exposed to all weather conditions and thereby the value of the vehicles gets diminished causing heavy monetary loss to the owners of the vehicles and sought for release of the vehicles.