Indian Customs Criticized for Mechanical Confiscation of Hijacked Vessel; Penalties Deemed Harsh and Arbitrary.

Foreign Vessel in transit - Confiscation - While the vessel was fishing on the high seas at Yemen, it was abducted by its own crew members and brought it near the territorial waters of India - The impugned order of confiscation reveals that the customs duty and confiscation have been imposed and ordered as per Ext.P1 and Ext.P2 in a mechanical manner, without bearing in mind the fact that it was not the volition of the owner of the vehicle to bring the vessel or the goods into India. To penalise the owner of the vessel, when admittedly he had no knowledge of the alleged ‘bringing into India’ of the vessel or the goods in it, in the context of the factual situation emerging in this case, is, to say the least, too harsh, arbitrary and not contemplated under law. - HC .....

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