RAJ MOHAMMED DESHMUKH Vs. STATE OF MAHARASHTRA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) In this petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution, the detention order dated 6/8/2009 passed under Section 3(1) of the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 ("the COFEPOSA Act" for short) has been challenged by the petitioner who is the brother of the detenu Shri Samad Ismail Deshmukh and the petitioner has prayed for a writ of habeas corpus for the release of his brother, the detenu. The detention order was served on the detenu on 17/8/2009 and the detention period will expire on 16/8/2010.

(2.) The order states that it has been passed with a view to preventing the detenu in future from smuggling goods, abetting the smuggling of goods, engaging in transporting smuggled goods and harbouring persons engaged in smuggling goods and all these activities fall under Clauses (a), (d), (e), (f) and (h) of Section 111 of the Customs Act, 1962.

(3.) On 19/2/2009 on receipt of information that smuggled High Speed Diesel was stored in two tugs namely MT Baaz and MT Mansi, officers of the Commissionerate of Customs intercepted these two tugs in the Indian Custom Water near Ulva Bridge in Belapur Creek. They had also intercepted another vessel MT Sarsar along with one support Motor launch near the same place as the same was moving in suspicious manner. The tugs were brought to B Wharf in P & V Docks for detailed examination. There were four crew members on board MT Baaz and three crew members on board MT Sarsar while none was found on board MT Mansi. The three tugs were examined in the presence of two panchas on 20/2/2009 and the following diesel quantity with the respective value was found: Sr. No. Tug HSD Quantity Value (Rs.) 1 MT Baaz 61.294 Kilo Litres 13,48,468/- 2 MT Mansi 56.835 Kilo Litres 12,50,376/- 3 MT Sarsar 34.588 Kilo Litres 7,60,941/-