HYDERABAD:  A division bench of Telangana High Court on Monday issued notices to the State Principal Secretary (Home) and the Director General of Police to respond in four weeks to to a PIL. The petition challenged the alleged indefinite detention of vehicles by the traffic police in drunken driving cases and sending information to the offices of those who were convicted thereby putting the latter’s career prospects at stake.

The bench was dealing with the PIL filed by V Prudhvi Krishna, software employee of the city, seeking direction to the concerned police not to detain vehicles in drunk and drive cases when a co-driver who was not under the influence of alcohol can drive the vehicle to its destination.

Petitioner’s counsel PVG Umesh Chandra told the court that the provisions of Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 do not sanction detention of vehicles for indefinite time. After hearing the case, the bench issued notices to all the authorities concerned to respond to the PIL and posted the matter to July 22 for further hearing.