Section 89 in The Punjab Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989
89. Lost Property
. [Sections 96(2)(xvii) and 107(2)(f)] - (1) In the case of a public service vehicle other than Government owned vehicles, the conductor, or if there is no conductor, the driver shall at the conclusion of a journey, make search in the vehicle for anything left by any passenger and shall take into his custody anything so found and immediately shall make over the same to a responsible person at any office or station of the permit holder or to an official of a police station and shall likewise take into custody and dispose of anything so found by any other person. The responsible person at any office or station of the holder of the permit of the vehicle receiving the aforesaid goods shall keep them safe and if the goods are not claimed by the owner or any other person appearing to him to be entitled thereto, shall, if such owner of goods is known, cause a notice to be served upon him requiring him to remove the goods. If such owner is not known or a notice cannot be served upon him or he does not comply with the requisition in the notice such property shall be deposited with the nearest police station as unclaimed property after three months of taking over charge thereof :Provided that if the goods are of perishable nature and are not claimed within forty-eight hours, they shall be disposed of by the responsible person at the station of the holder of the permit by public auction and the receipts thereof shall be deposited with the nearest police station against proper receipt and shall be disposed of by the police under the laws affecting the articles.(2)In the case of a Government owned vehicle, the conductor or if there is no conductor, the driver shall deposit the goods in the nearest office of the State Transport Undertaking and if the goods are not claimed by the owner or any other person appearing to the incharge of the office of the State Transport Undertaking to be entitled thereto, he shall, if such owner or person is known, cause a notice to be served upon him, requiring him to remove the goods. If such owner or person is not known or a notice cannot be served upon him or he does not comply with the requisition in the notice, such incharge may, after three months of taking over charge of the goods sell the goods by public auction and proceeds thereof shall be credited into the Government treasury :Provided that if the goods are of perishable nature and are not claimed within forty-eight hours, they shall be disposed of by the incharge by pubic auction and the receipt thereof credited into the Government treasury.(3)If the goods are claimed within the period specified, a charge of rupee one per kilogram or a part thereof for twenty-four hours or fraction thereof subject to a minimum charge of two rupees shall be levied. The unclaimed articles shall also be liable to these charges on account of their custody and disposal.(4)Where articles such as arms, ammunition, explosive, intoxicating liquors, opium and its preparation and hemp and drugs, the sale of which is prohibited by law, are left unclaimed, they shall be made over to the police or excise authorities for disposal under the laws affecting the articles.(5)Proper accounts shall be maintained in a separate register which shall be open for inspection to the authorities.
