Supreme Court of India · 1968-10-31
ILLIAS vs COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS, MADRAS
- Citation / case number
- SC 1967/182
- Court
- Supreme Court of India
- Petitioner
- ILLIAS
- Respondent
- COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS, MADRAS
- Author
- SHAHC.,RAMASWAMI, V.,MITTER, G.K.,HEGDE, K.S.,GROVER, A.N.
- Bench
- SHAH, J.C.,RAMASWAMI, V.,MITTER, G.K.,HEGDE, K.S.,GROVER, A.N.
Judgment text excerpt
The Supreme Court held that customs officers, while endowed with certain police powers under the Customs Act, 1962, do not qualify as police officers under Section 25 of the Evidence Act, 1872. Consequently, confessional statements made to customs officials are admissible in court. The Court emphasized that customs officers lack the authority to submit charge sheets as police officers do, thus necessitating a complaint to be filed for cognizance of offences under the Customs Act. The judgment followed precedents including Romesh Chandra Mehta v. State of West Bengal and others.