FIA, Ranger, Customs, other agencies directed to furnish details: vehicles taken into custody

The Supreme Court on Monday directed FIA, Excise and Taxation, Ranger, Customs and other agencies to furnish details regarding vehicles taken by them into custody for different reasons. Earlier, the court had directed Inspector General of Police of all the provinces and the Capital to submit the list of vehicles taken into custody as a case of property.
Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry observed that public property cannot be kept for personal use. A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Chaudhry Ijaz Ahmed and Justice Jawwad S Khawaja heard the Criminal Petition of Juma Khan regarding the usurp of case property vehicle by the police.
The petitioner had contended that he was the victim of highhandedness of the police, as his vehicle has been taken over forcibly by the police and is in their personal use as it is evident from the report of Judicial Magistrate. Additional Advocate General (AAG), Balochistan Azam Khattak appeared before the court and apprised total number of vehicles under custody was 1805. The court granted extra time so that other agencies could also furnish details.
Additional Advocate General (AAG), Sindh apprised the court that 40 vehicles were under the use of different agencies. However, he requested the court to grant him some time for submission of total number of vehicles. The chief justice expressed displeasure at AAG's statement that these vehicles were not taken back from these agencies. The court adjourned the hearing for July 24.