Saraw Pramodchandra Suthar S/o Shri Pramodchandra vs Union Of India, Through Superintendent (Law Prosecution),

Saraw Pramodchandra Suthar S/o Shri Pramodchandra Suthar, Aged About 49 Years, R/o 9 32/2, Navghari Ni Pol, Near Ranchodji Temple, Saraspur, Ahmedabad-380018. ----Petitioners Versus Union Of India, Through Superintendent (Law Prosecution), Commimssionerate Of Custom Duty Prevention- Jodhpur, Headquarter Jaipur. ----Respondent For Petitioner(s) : Mr. Keshav Kumar Agrawal For Respondent(s) : Mr. Banwari Lal Takhar HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE SHUBHA MEHTA Order 28/07/2025 izkFkhZ@vfHk;qDrx.k dh vksj ls vfxze tekur dk ;g izkFkZuk&i= /kkjk 482 Hkkjrh; ukxfjd lqj{kk lafgrk ds varxZr U;k;ky; vij eq[; egkuxj eftLVsªV ¼vkfFkZd vijk/k½ t;iqj egkuxj f}rh; ds vkijkf/kd ifjokn la[;k 01@2020 Hkkjr la?k&cuke&/khjt dqekj Bkdqj o vU; vijk/k varxZr /kkjk 132 rFkk 135¼1½¼1½¼,½ o ¼ch½ lhek 'kqYd vf/kfu;e 1962 esa vfxze tekur dk ykHk nsus dh izkFkZuk ds lkFk izLrqr fd;k x;k gSA [2025:RJ-JP:28481] (2 of 4) [CRLMB-2412/2025] cgl lquh xbZA fo}ku vf/koDrk izkFkhZ@vfHk;qDrx.k dk rdZ gS fd izkFkhZx.k dks izdj.k eas feF;k lafyIr fd;k x;k gSA mudk rdZ gS fd rFkkdfFkr vijk/k tks crk;k x;k gS og o"kZ 2011 ls lEcfU/kr gSA mudk rdZ gS fd o"kZ 2006 esa lhek 'kqYd vf/kfu;e 1962 dh /kkjk 104¼4½ ds varxZr mDr vijk/k vlaKs; Fkk rFkk o"kZ 2012 esa la'kks/ku ds i'pkr~ tks fnukad 28-05-2012 ls izHkkoh Fkk] esa /kkjk 104¼6½ lhek 'kqYd vf/kfu;e ds vijk/k dks tekurh; vijk/k gh cuk fn;k x;kA mudk rdZ gS fd izFke ckj fnukad 10-05-2013 ls bls dqN Jsf.k;ksa esa xSj tekurh; cuk;k x;kA mudk rdZ gS fd izkFkhZx.k ds fo:) ftl vijk/k dk vfHk;ksx gS og o"kZ 2011 dk crk;k x;k gS rFkk rRle; vijk/k tekurh; Fkk] tSlk fd ekuuh; mPpre U;k;ky; us vius fofu'p; vkseizdk'k ,oa vU;&cuke&;wfu;u vkWQ bf.M;k 2012¼1½ MCY;w ,y lh ¼,llh½ vkijkf/kd 7 esa fu.khZr fd;k gSA pwafd rRle; vijk/k tekurh; Fkk ,slh fLFkfr esa bl izdkj ds vlaKs; rFkk tekurh; vijk/k esa izkFkhZ@vfHk;qDrx.k dks vfxze tekur dh lqfo/kk nh tkosA mudk ;g Hkh rdZ gS fd o"kZ 2011 ds vijk/k ds lEcU/k esa ifjokn o"kZ 2016 esa foyEc ls is'k fd;k x;k gSA izkFkhZ@vfHk;qDr yhykjke ,d 70 o"kZ dk o`) O;fDr gS ftldh ,oa vU; vfHk;qDrx.k dh Hkh fdlh izdkj dh tkap esa vfHkj{kk dh dksbZ vko';drk ugha gSA vr% izkFkhZx.k dks vfxze tekur dh lqfo/kk iznku dh tk,A blds foijhr fo}ku vf/koDrk ;wfu;u vkWQ bf.M;k dk rdZ gS fd lhek 'kqYd vf/kfu;e dh /kkjk 104¼4½ esa mls dsoy laKs; ugha gksuk gh vafdr fd;k x;k gS] dgha Hkh bldk tekurh; vFkok vtekurh; gksus dk vadu ugha gSA ,slh fLFkfr esa tcfd Li"V izko/kku ugha gSa] rks n.M izfØ;k lafgrk ds izko/kku ykxw gksaxsA n.M izfØ;k lafgrk ds izko/kkuksa ds vuqlkj lkr o"kZ ds n.M ls n.Muh; mDr vijk/k vtekurh; gSA mudk ;g Hkh rdZ gS fd ekeyk vkfFkZd vijk/k dk gksdj 99]50]716@&:i;s dh jkf'k ds lhek 'kqYd M~;wVh vioapu ls lEcfU/kr gSA xEHkhj izd`fr dk vijk/k gSA mudk rdZ gS fd ifjokn is'k djus esa tks foyEc dkfjr gqvk gS og bl dkj.k gqvk gS fd blh d`R; ds lEcU/k esa lekukUrj :i ls foHkkx esa Hkh vU; dk;Zokfg;ka dh tkrh gSa] ftlesa dkj.k crkvks uksfVl fn;k tkuk] mlds i'pkr~ vkns'k ikfjr fd;k tkuk vkfn gSa] ,slh fLFkfr esa mu lHkh dk;Zokfg;ksa ds iw.kZ gksus ds [2025:RJ-JP:28481] (3 of 4) [CRLMB-2412/2025] mijkar vkijkf/kd dk;Zokgh ls lEcfU/kr ifjokn is'k fd;k x;k gSA mudk rdZ gS fd fdlh izdkj dh dksbZ le; lhek ifjokn is'k djus ds fy, fu/kkZfjr ugha gSA vr% izkFkhZ@vfHk;qDrx.k dks vfxze tekur dk ykHk ugha fn;k tk,A nksuksa i{kksa ds rdksZa ij euu fd;k x;kA i=koyh dk /;kuiwoZd v/;;u fd;k x;kA i=koyh ds voyksdu ls izdV gksrk gS fd izkFkhZ@vfHk;qDrx.k ij /kkjk 132 rFkk 135¼1½¼1½¼,½ o ¼ch½ lhek 'kqYd vf/kfu;e 1962 ds vijk/k dk vfHk;ksx gSA izdj.k esa vijk/k fnukad 02-02-2011 dk crk;k x;k gS] rRle; lhek 'kqYd vf/kfu;e 1962 dh /kkjk 104¼4½ ds vuqlkj mDr vijk/k laKs; ugha FkkA o"kZ 2012 esa la'kks/ku ds ifj.kkeLo:i mDr vijk/k dks tekurh; cuk fn;k x;k FkkA ckn esa fnukad 10-05-2013 ls bl vijk/k dks vtekurh; cuk fn;k x;kA gLrxr izdj.k esa vijk/k o"kZ 2011 dk gS] vf/kfu;e ds v/;;u ls rRle;] mDr vijk/k tekurh; ,oa vlaKs; gksuk izdV gksrk gSA ekuuh; mPpre U;k;ky; us vius U;kf;d fofu'p; vkseizdk'k ,oa vU;&cuke&;wfu;u vkWQ bf.M;k ,oa vU; esa mDr izko/kkuksa dh C;k[;k djrs gq, fuEu O;oLFkk nh gS%& 43. The provisions of Section 104(3) of the Customs Act, 1962, and Section 13 of the Central Excise Act, 1944, vest Customs Officers and Excise Officers with the same powers as that of a Police Officer in charge of a Police Station, which include the power to release on bail upon arrest in respect of offences committed under the two enactments which are uniformly non-cognizable. Both Section 9A of the 1944 Act and Section 104(4) of the Customs Act, 1962, provide that notwithstanding anything in the Code of Criminal Procedure, offences under both the Acts would be non-cognizable. The arguments advanced on behalf of respective parties in Om Prakash & Anr. Vs. Union of India & Anr. (Writ Petition (Crl) No.66 of 2011) and other similar cases under the Central Excise Act, 1944, are equally applicable in the case of Choith Nanikram Harchandani Vs. Union of India & Ors. (Writ Petition (Crl) No.74 of 2010 and the other connected Writ Petitions in respect of the Customs Act, 1962. [2025:RJ-JP:28481] (4 of 4) [CRLMB-2412/2025]

44. Accordingly, on the same reasoning, the offences under the Customs Act, 1962 must also be held to be bailable and the Writ Petitions must, therefore, succeed. The same are, accordingly, allowed. Crl. M.P. No.10673 of 2011 in WP (Crl.) No.76 of 2011 is also disposed of accordingly. Consequently, as in the case of offences under the Central Excise Act, 1944, it is held that offences under Section 135 of the Customs Act, 1962, are bailable and if the person arrested offers bail, he shall be released on bail in accordance with the provisions of sub-Section (3) of Section 104 of the Customs Act, 1962, if not wanted in connection with any other offence. izkFkhZ@vfHk;qDr yhykjke 70 o"kZ dk o`) O;fDr gS rFkk ekeyk o"kZ 2011 ls yfEcr pyk vk jgk gS ftlesa ifjokn Hkh yxHkx ikap o"kZ ds foyEc ls 2018 esa is'k fd;k x;k gSA vfHk;qDrx.k dh fdlh izdkj dh vfHkj{kkRed iwNrkN dh vko';drk gksuk Hkh ugha crk;k x;k gSA ,slh fLFkfr esa izdj.k ds leLr rF;ksa o ifjfLFkfr;ksa dks ns[krs gq, ekeys ds xq.kkoxq.k ij dksbZ fVIi.kh fd, fcuk izkFkhZ@vfHk;qDrx.k dks vfxze tekur dk ykHk fn;k tkuk mfpr izrhr gksrk gSA ifj.kker% izkFkhZ@vfHk;qDrx.k dh vksj ls izLrqr ;g vfxze tekur izkFkZuk&i= bl funsZ'k ds lkFk fuLrkfjr fd;k tkrk gS fd izR;sd izkFkhZ@vfHk;qDr fnukad 11-08-2025 dks ;k mlls iwoZ fopkj.k U;k;ky; esa mifLFkr gksdj muds vkns'kkuqlkj ,oa lUrks"kizn tekur eqpyds is'k djsa] rks fopkj.k U;k;ky; fu;ekuqlkj mUgsa rLnhd djsA fnukad 11-08-2025 rd izkFkhZ@vfHk;qDrx.k }kjk fopkj.k U;k;ky; esa mifLFkr gksdj tekur eqpyds is'k ugha djus dh fLFkfr esa ;g vkns'k Lor% fujLr le>k tkosxkA AJAY KUMAR SINGHAL /89 (SHUBHA MEHTA),J