IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE ANTONY DOMINIC THURSDAY, THE 21ST AUGUST 2008 / 30TH SRAVANA 1930 WP(C).No. 24368 of 2008(A) -------------------------- PETITIONERS: --------------- 1. FAST AND SAFE TRANSPORTS PVT.LTD., T.A.B ROAD, ERNAKULAM, KOCHI - 18 REPRESENTED BY ITS DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER - A.NIZAR. 2. RAJARAM DNYANOBA, SREERAM COMPOUND, KALKI, BELGAUM. BY ADV. SRI.K.I.MAYANKUTTY MATHER SRI.P.P.RAMACHANDRAN RESPONDENTS: ----------------- 1. EXCISE INSPECTOR, MANJESWAR EXCISE CHECKPOST, EXCISE CIRCLE OFFICE, MANJESHWAR. 2. JALARAM & CO., SHOP NO.106, JAYCOACH INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, GOREGAUN EAST, MUMBAI (PHONE NO.022 64138612) 3. KESAR AGENCIES, KOTTAPARAMBU, CALICUT (PHONE NO.9746334929). 4. ASSISTANT EXCISE COMMISSIONER, KUMBLA, KASARAGOD. BY GOVT.PLEADER SMT.K.R.DEEPA THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 21/08/2008, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: ANTONY DOMINIC, J. =============== W.P.(C) NO. 24368 OF 2008 A ==================== Dated this the 21st day of August, 2008 J U D G M E N T A truck bearing Regn.No.KA-22A/4906 owned by the 2nd petitioner and hired by the first petitioner has been detained by the 1st respondent on the ground that one of the consignments in the truck contained 25 packets of rectified spirit. In this writ petition, what is mainly prayed for is that the remaining consignments belonging to the other customers of the 1st petitioner have nothing to do with the detention in the aforesaid consignment and therefore should be released. 2. On the other hand, the learned Government Pleader submits that other consignments were used for hiding the packets containing rectified spirit and therefore all those consignments have also been detained and produced before the 4th respondent, the authorised officer for proceeding under Section 67B. It is stated that the authorised officer has already initiated proceedings under Section 67B of the Abkari Act. 3. Now that the matter is pending before the 4th respondent, being the authorised officer under Section 67B, and as these consignments belong to third parties and especially in view of the claims now made by WPC 24368/08 :2 : the customers on the petitioner, it is essential that the authorised officer finalise the proceedings on an expeditious basis. 4. Therefore, I direct that the 4th respondent shall finalise the proceedings as expeditiously as possible. 5. It will also be open to the petitioner to move the 4th respondent, for finalising the proceedings on an expeditious basis and also to consider the request of the petitioner for interim release of the consignments and also the truck in question. Writ petition is disposed of as above. ANTONY DOMINIC, JUDGE Rp