TARUN ARORA vs COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS

Judgment text excerpt

$~25 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI Date of decision: 21st November, 2025 Uploaded on: 22nd November, 2025 + W.P.(C) 16724/2025 TARUN ARORA .....Petitioner Through: Ms. Richa Kumari, Adv. versus COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS .....Respondent Through: Mr. Vishal Chadha, SSC with Mr. Chandan Kumar, Adv. (9810641379) CORAM: JUSTICE PRATHIBA M. SINGH JUSTICE SHAIL JAIN Prathiba M. Singh, J. (Oral) 1. This hearing has been done through hybrid mode. 2. The present petition has been filed by the Petitioner under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, inter alia, challenging the continued detention of a gold chain weighing 100 grams (hereinafter, ‘gold chain’) which was seized by the Customs Department on 16th July, 2023. 3. The brief background of the Petitioner’s case is that, the Petitioner is an Indian Passport holder bearing No. Z7342352 and had travelled from Bangkok to India on 16th July, 2023. Upon his arrival at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, he was intercepted by the concerned officials of the Customs Department and the gold chain was seized by the Customs Department vide detention receipt No. 2224 dated 16th July, 2023. The gold chain was appraised on 31st July, 2023 by the Customs Department Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed By:RAHUL W.P.(C) 16724/2025 Page 1 of 6 Signing Date:22.11.2025 17:16:12 vide detention receipt No. 69770 dated 31st July, 2023. 4. The Petitioner is stated to have visited the Customs Department repeatedly. However, the Customs Department got a pre-printed waiver of the Show Cause Notice (hereinafter, ‘SCN’) and personal hearing signed from the Petitioner. Thereafter the Order-in-Original dated 12th August, 2023 was passed by the Assistant Commissioner of Customs, Terminal-3, Indira Gandhi International Airport