GOPIKA VENNANKOT GOVIND vs UNION OF INDIA & ORS.

Judgment text excerpt

$~21 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI Date of decision: 10th March, 2025 + W.P.(C) 2784/2025, CM APPL. 13194/2025 & CM APPL. 3195/2025 GOPIKA VENNANKOT GOVIND .....Petitioner Through: Mrs. Kavitha K.T., Mr. Subash Chandran, Mr. Sharat Gopal, Mr. Syam Krishnan K., Mr. Akash Awana, Ms. Minal Pandagare and Ms. Shakki Chaturvedi, 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-Gopika Vennankot Govind 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 two gold chains with pendants, weighing a total of 49 grams, valued at Rs. 3,15,795/-. 3. A brief background of the present case as stated in the petition is that the Petitioner is a minor aged about 17 years, who was travelling with her Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed W.P.(C) 2784/2025 Page 1 of 6 By:RAHUL Signing Date:13.03.2025 18:59:41 family from the United Arab Emirates (‘UAE’) to Delhi. The Petitioner along with her family, arrived at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi on 9th April, 2024. It is stated that the family was travelling to India to participate in a relative’s wedding which was to be held in Kerala on 21st April, 2024. Further, on 9th April, 2024 as soon as the Petitioner reached the airport with her family,