KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has issued notices to the Customs Department and deputy attorney general on a constitutional petition filed by Chakar Khan, seeking release of his passenger bus seized by customs authorities due to alleged involvement in smuggling of high speed diesel.
While hearing of the petition, a two-member bench, headed by Justice Munib Akhtar, also directed them to file their respective para wise comments on the next date of hearing.
Earlier, counsel for the petitioner stated that the petitioner was the owner of passenger bus bearing registration no: BSA-586 and had never been involved in any criminal case, however, officials of the Customs Department intercepted the same and seized it illegally. He argued that allegations fixed by Customs Department are baseless.
Citing Secretary Ministry of Finance, Chief Collector of Customs Collectorate, Collector of Customs Preventive, Iftikhar Ahmed, Collector of Customs Collectorate Preventive as respondents, he pleaded the court to declare the act of the respondents as illegal, mala fide and arbitrary, he also pleaded the court to direct them to release his passenger bus immediately and restrain them from taking any coercive action against the petitioner till final order in this petition.