IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA CR. WJC NO.559 OF 2008 LALAN SINGH AND STATE OF BIHAR & ORS CR. WJC NO.604 OF 2008 SINGHASAN DEVI @ SIHASAN DEVI @ SINHASAN DEVI VERSUS THE STATE OF BIHAR & ORS ----------- 2 07.08.2008 Heard learned counsel for the petitioners and learned Additional public prosecutor for the State of Bihar. In the instant writ petitions, petitioners have prayed for release of their truck bearing registration nos. URL-4886 and BPF- 8531 respectively in their favour seized in Sadar ps case no. 03 of 2008 as they have all the documents in proof of their ownership. They state that they are owners of the vehicles and had let them on rent at the time they were caught. The allegation is that their trucks were caught with food grains alleged to be carrying for black marketing. The petitioners are not at all aware that food grains were being carried for sale in black market. It is submitted on behalf of the petitioners that in such cases the Apex court has repeatedly observed that a public carrier should generally be released in favour of its owner pending final result in the concerned criminal case. Learned counsel fairly submits that a confiscation proceeding has already been initiated in respect of the vehicles in question Having heard the parties, this court directs the confiscating officer, namely, the District Magistrate cum Collector, Muzaffarpur to dispose of the confiscation proceeding within a month of receipt of this order Shashi. (S.P.Singh,J).