Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The High Court, Principal Bench at Jabalpur, set aside a penalty and forfeiture order passed by the Collector, Chhindwara, in a case arising out of alleged illegal transportation of minerals, holding that the proceedings were conducted in a “mechanical and careless manner” without proper verification of ownership or liability.
A division bench of Justice Vivek Rusia and Justice Pradeep Mittal passed the order.
According to the High Court order, the court quashed the Collector’s order dated January 27, 2025, which had directed forfeiture of a truck allegedly involved in illegal mining activities. The court also imposed a cost of ?50,000 on the state, directing that the amount be recovered from the erring officer, underscoring accountability within the administrative machinery.
The petitioner submitted the registration details of the vehicle, which showed that it is registered in the name of Balveer Singh and valid until December 18, 2027. Although the address and mobile number of the registered owner were available, the Mining Officer did not make any effort to contact him or record his statement.
The court observed that the proceedings appeared to have been initiated against the petitioner solely on the basis of the statement of the truck driver, Rajesh, who was found at the spot with the vehicle.
The petitioner’s counsel argued that the truck did not belong to his client and that the authorities had failed to verify ownership despite readily available registration details. Documents placed on record showed the vehicle was registered in the name of Balveer Singh, yet no effort was made by the Mining Officer to contact the registered owner.
