Supreme Court Rules on Seized Sonography Machine: Order to Unseal Medical Equipment Despite Pending Appeal
The Supreme Court upheld the Gujarat High Court's order directing the release of a seized sonography machine, despite pending appeals under the PC & PNDT Act. The Court ruled that indefinite sealing of equipment is unjustified after the accused's acquittal, balancing investigative needs with the respondent's right to livelihood under Section 451 CrPC. It clarified that Section 29 of the Act does not mandate perpetual preservation of seized property during protracted litigation. The judgment emphasized pragmatic disposal of case property while safeguarding evidentiary interests through conditional data retrieval.
Facts Of The Case:
The case originated from a 2009 sting operation where respondent Dr. Kaushik Babulal Shah, a radiologist, was accused of violating the PC & PNDT Act by...