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HC-NIC Page 33 of 58 Created On Fri Dec 15 23:20:01 IST 2017 The Court proceeded to answer the question as under:

"(16) Section 451 Cr.P.C. enables the Court to pass orders for custody or   disposal  of property during  enquiry or trial.  Section  452  Cr.P.C.  comes   into operation on conclusion of enquiry or trial. Section 457 Cr.P.C. is a   general provision applicable to all cases where seizure of vehicle is reported   to   a   Magistrate   and   vehicle   is   not   produced   before   a   Criminal   Court.  

Sections   451   and   457   Cr.P.C.   somewhat   overlap.   Section   457   Cr.P.C.   reads as under: 

(17) Section 457 Cr.P.C. deals generally with all cases where seizure of   property is reported by the police­officer to the Magistrate and vehicle is   not  produced  before  Criminal  Court.  The  Magistrate  can act under  this   Court   only   when   the   seizure   of   the   property   is   reported   to   him.   He   is   entitled to do one of three things; (a) he may pass an order regarding the   disposal   of   the   property;   or   (b)   deliver   it   to   the   person   entitled   to   its   possession subject to conditions, if any, imposed; or (c) in his absence pass  an order for its custody and production. 
(22) As rightly submitted by the learned Advocate General, Section   14(4) of the Act does not take away the jurisdiction of the Court and   exercise of power under Sections 451 or 457 Cr.P.C. But discretion of  Court   has  to be  exercised   judiciously  and  exercised  with   due   care  and   caution.   Where   seizure   of   vehicle   involved   in   an   offence   of   prohibition   reported   to   the   Magistrate,   exercise   of   discretion   and   ordering of interim custody under Sections 451 or 457 Cr.P.C. is not   automatic.   Notwithstanding   the   involvement   of   the   vehicle   in   the   commission of prohibition offence, if there is automatic exercise of   power by the Court, Section 14(4) of the Act would become a dead   letter. In our view, order of confiscation of a vehicle involved in the   commission of offence under Section 14(4) of TNP Act is not only   punitive but also deterrent. While so, when the vehicle is involved in   the commission of a prohibition offence, exercise of discretion by the  Court  with care and caution would serve various purposes.  While  before   passing   any  order   in   respect   of   the   vehicle   involved   in   the   commission   of   prohibition   offence,   Court   should   keep   in   view   the  spirit of Section 14(4) of the Act and the benevolent objects of Tamil   Nadu Prohibition Act."
"In support of the appeals, it was submitted that as per the provisions of   Sections 451 to 457 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (in short the   'Cr.P.C'), the criminal court has jurisdiction to release any property seized   or recovered during any enquiry or trial. By the insertion of Section 54(A)   of the Rajasthan Excise Amendment Ordinance, 2000 which was later on   substituted by the Amendment Act along with Section 54A, Section 69 has   also been amended and as per amended sub­section (6) of Section 69 it  has  been  provided  that  whenever  any  means  of conveyance  is seized  in   connection   with   commission   of   offence   under   the   Act,   the   Excise   Commissioner   or   any   officer   authorized   in   this   behalf   by   the   State   Government  shall have  and  notwithstanding  anything  contained  in any   law for the time being in force, any Court, Tribunal or other Authority   shall not have jurisdiction to make order with regard to the possession,   delivery,   disposal   or   release   of   such   conveyance.   Grievance   was  that   in   view   of   the   aforesaid   provisions   the   criminal   courts   were   not   invoking   jurisdiction and the power of the court has been taken away. Challenge to   Section 54A and Section 69(6) were made on the ground that they are   unconstitutional, arbitrary, unreasonable and violative of Articles 14, 19,   20,  21  and  301   of  the   Constitution.  It  was  submitted  that   the  powers   conferred on judicial courts by virtue of Sections 451 to 457, Cr.P.C. has   been   curtailed   or   have   been   taken   away   and   indirectly   the   power   of   revision of Sessions Judge or the High Court and inherent power of the   High Court under Section 482, Cr.P.C. has been curtailed."