Union of India Vs Sayad Ali Laskar (Gauhati High Court)
Summary: The Gauhati High Court considered a criminal petition filed by the Union of India, represented by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), challenging the order dated 24.06.2025 passed by the Additional Sessions Judge (Fast Track), Court No. 3, Kamrup (Metro), Guwahati in Misc. Case No. 133 of 2025. By that order, the Additional Sessions Judge had directed release of truck bearing registration No. AS-26-C-9100, which had been seized in connection with DRI Case No. 26/CL/IMP/CIG/DRI/GZU/2024-25 dated 18.02.2025.
The respondent, who was the registered owner of the truck, had approached the Additional Sessions Judge under Section 497 of the BNSS, 2023 seeking release of the seized vehicle. According to the DRI, the truck had been intercepted in the presence of two independent witnesses while carrying cigarettes of foreign origin without payment of the due revenue/customs. The DRI stated that concealed cartons containing about 19,85,000 sticks of foreign-origin cigarettes were found in the truck. The truck, together with a white Tata Safari car, mobile phones of the intercepted persons and other relevant documents, was inventoried and detailed in the seizure list. Three intercepted individuals were arrested and produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kamrup (Metro), Guwahati on 19.02.2025, whereupon they were remanded to judicial custody.
