AMAL KRISHNA vs UNION OF INDIA & ORS.

Judgment text excerpt

$~46 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI Date of decision: 10th March, 2025 + W.P.(C) 2957/2025, CM APPL. 14010/2025 & CM APPL. 14011/2025 AMAL KRISHNA .....Petitioner Through: Mrs. Kavitha KT, Mr. Subash Chandran, Mr. Sharat Gopal, Mr. Syam Krishnan, Mr. Akash Awana, Ms. Pinal Pandagare and Mr. Sakti Chaurvedi, Advs. versus UNION OF INDIA & ORS. .....Respondents Through: Ms. Anushree Narain, SSC with Mr. Ankit Kumar, Adv. CORAM: JUSTICE PRATHIBA M. SINGH JUSTICE RAJNEESH KUMAR GUPTA Prathiba M. Singh, J. (ORAL) 1. This hearing has been done through hybrid mode. 2. The present petition has been filed by the Petitioner-Amal Krishna under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, inter alia, seeking issuance of an appropriate writ for setting aside the order dated 7th November, 2024 passed by the Assistant Commissioner of Customs, Terminal-3, Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi (hereinafter, the ‘adjudicating authority’) by which, the adjudicating authority has seized the Petitioner’s gold chain weighing 28 grams, valued at Rs. 1,76,488/-. 3. A brief background of the present case as stated in the petition is that Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed W.P.(C) 2957/2025 Page 1 of 6 By:RAHUL Signing Date:13.03.2025 18:59:41 the Petitioner was travelling from the United Arab Emirates (‘UAE’) to India to participate in a marriage ceremony in Kerala. The Petitioner arrived at the Indira Gandhi International Airport on 9th April, 2024. However, as soon as the Petitioner reached the airport, he was intercepted and the Petitioner’s jewellery i.e. a gold chain weighing 28 grams was seized by the concerned Custom officials. 4. It is the case of the Petitioner that the said jewellery has been worn by him for his personal use and the same was confiscated by the Cus