Seized Vehicles Are Being Repurposed Into Government Vehicles In This State!

Vehicles involved in crimes like drug peddling and smuggling liquor are often confiscated. The South Indian state of Kerala has strengthened its crackdown on such crimes, leading to such vehicles piling up in the police and excise yards. Owners of such vehicles are given opportunities to prove themselves not guilty. But, if they fail to do so, these are usually auctioned off. In a recent development, the Excise department of Kerala has started actively inducting seized vehicles as official vehicles for various government departments. These, interestingly, wear VIP boards as well.

As part of the Excise department's new initiative, hundreds of crime-labelled vehicles are being converted into public service assets. The movement has saved these vehicles from rotting away in government yards. In many places of the state, the yards of enforcement agencies were getting overcrowded with various seized vehicles. The public service induction seems to be generating usable room in such places.

Reports say that many government offices and departments in Kerala are in need of official vehicles. Usually, in such cases, the state government acquires fresh vehicles from manufacturers and allot them to these departments. The new Excise initiative proves to be a cost-effective alternative to this car shopping. Moreover, it sends a strong message of turning 'tools of crime' into 'assets of service'.

Rising Crime Count, More Vehicles Getting Impounded

Cases involving narcotics and liquor smuggling have been on the rise in Kerala. Previously, around 200 vehicles used to get seized in a year, in such cases. But now, this count has shot up to 300 units a month! This has, in a way, forced the department to adopt the new measure. It will issue these vehicles to various departments, based on their requests, after keeping enough units for their own needs.

This practice of inducting vehicles, however, isn't new. Over the past few years, more than 250 such vehicles have been given to different departments. Reports say these to range from luxury sedans to rugged jeeps. The former are often used by senior officials while the latter get assigned to rural panchayats.

These vehicles now help the government run better. The Prisons department seems to have benefited the most. It received 20 vehicles in the last two years alone.

The Police Department too now uses many of these — the very same ones that once tried to outrun the law. Today, they stand parked at police stations with pride. Among them are Mahindra Thars, Innovas, Boleros, and Swifts — models that are in high demand.

Getting one of these vehicles, however, is not easy. Department heads need to apply through the Taxes Secretary. These requests are then reviewed by the disposal committee under the 'Abkari Act'. Only vehicles with at least five years left on their registration are considered. Also, the department that gets the vehicle has to take care of any repairs or modifications needed.

Clear Judicial Oversight In Place

Kerala has a strict and fairly transparent legal system that ensures that only vehicles which are genuinely involved in crimes are repurposed into government assets. The Kerala High Court and Supreme Court have both ruled that enforcement agencies cannot seize vehicles based on mere suspicion alone. The vehicle's actual use in a crime should be proven for it to be impounded. Any individual's protection of property rights is thus safeguarded.

This even includes the Customs Department, which is constantly on the lookout for possible smugglers at the state's seaports and airports. Previously, the Kerala High Court had ordered the release of a vehicle seized by Customs at Cochin Airport, after it failed to produce evidence of the vehicle being used in transporting smuggled Gold.