Karnataka HC permits police to release vehicles which violated Covid norms, state to get Rs 9 crore

BENGALURU: The seizure of vehicles for violating lockdown norms across Karnataka is likely to fetch the state exchequer over Rs 9 crore in revenue. On Tuesday, the Karnataka High Court permitted jurisdictional police officers to release over 1.50 lakh vehicles to their owners, after verification of documents and deposition of money. 

A special division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Aravind Kumar permitted police to release the vehicles. The amount fixed for release of vehicles is Rs 500 each for two-wheelers, Rs. 1,000 for three- and four-wheelers, and Rs 2,000 for other vehicles. This was in response to the application filed by the state government. According to statistics submitted to court, a total of 1,37,503 two-wheelers, 7,432 four-wheelers and 7,123 other vehicles were seized across the state by police. 

Noting that it is difficult to park a large number of vehicles, and judicial officers will be overburdened if owners are told to approach court for release of vehicles, the court said if persons claiming to be owners of the vehicles make an application to the jurisdictional police officers to grant custody of the vehicles, police officers can verify ownership and give custody of the vehicles.The court added that the amounts to be paid by the vehicle owners will be treated as deposits and the same can be appropriated towards payment of fine, if ultimately fine is imposed on the owners.