KARACHI: A two-member bench of the Sindh High Court (SHC) comprising Justice Munib Akhter and Justice Anwar Hussain heard a constitutional petition filed by Abdul Hameed Shaikh, seeking release of his Toyota Hilux surf jeep from the Customs Department. The vehicle was seized by officials of the director general intelligence and investigation regional office Karachi.
Raffat Hussain, the assistant director of the Customs intelligence and investigation, told the court that customs authorities impounded non-duty paid Toyota Hilux surf jeep and the petitioner is not entitled to get relief in the case.
He told the court that the customs authorities seized the non-duty paid vehicle in accordance with law and the matter is pending with the collector of customs adjudication – I.
He pleaded the court that petition being devoid of law and without any substance may graciously be dismissed in along with listed applications.
Court has sought the record of the vehicle and directed the petitioner to submit rejoinder on the next date of hearing. The court adjourned the hearing for September 19, 2016.
Earlier counsel for the petitioner stated that he purchased a vehicle bearing registration number WAH-390 (Quetta) Toyota Hilux Surf Jeep model 2005, chassis no RZN-215-0011439, engine no 3R2-FE 2639, in open letter. Petitioner is neither the importer nor the 1st owner of the said vehicle, he is subsequently owner of the said vehicle on dated April 14, 2016.
According to petitioner, when the petitioner was playing the said with his family members, officials of the director general intelligence & investigation FBR customs anti-smuggling regional office Karachi impounded the said vehicle near Clifton, Karachi dragged the petitioner along with his family members out of the vehicle, snatched the key and did not allow him to collect any personal articles out of said vehicle.
Petitioner said that he had shown all the relevant documents but they refused the documents and impounded the said vehicle which was misused of power.
Citing Secretary Ministry of Finance, the Director General Intelligence & Investigation FBR Customs Anti-Smuggling Regional Office Karachi as respondents, Petitioner pleaded the SHC may declare that the act of the respondent detaining the said vehicle of the petitioner is illegal, ultra viral and without legal authority specially the presence of in valid documents and valid registration book.
