Bengaluru: The State High Court has ordered the release of the vehicles seized in a criminal case. The judges cited a Supreme Court judgement that vehicles, seized by police from the crime scene or from criminals should not be allowed to remain idle in front of the police stations.

Justice K. Natarajan noted that as per the Apex Court judgement in the Sunderbhai Ambalal Desai case, the vehicles should not be allowed to lie idle in front of the police station. The petitioners were only RC owners and not the accused before the trial court. The vehicles were used by the accused for offence, he observed.

Further, the bench has directed the Additional City Civil and Sessions Court, Bengaluru, to release the vehicles by taking an indemnity bond from the petitioners along with surety. Also has asked the investigation officer to release vehicles after necessary procedures.

Two from Bengaluru and one from Andhra Pradesh had filed petitions, challenging the order passed by an Additional City Civil and Sessions Court rejecting their applications. The petitioners had filed an application seeking the release of a car, a bike and an autorickshaw. The application had been rejected for want of identification.