HYDERABAD: It has become the new normal. Drunk drivers caught by the Hyderabad police are subject to bitter experiences in getting their vehicles back. This is despite the High Court directing the police not to seize vehicles of persons in an intoxicated condition. In a clear violation of the court orders, Hyderabad police continue to seize vehicles and release them only after the ‘accused’ appear before the court.
In contrast, Cyberabad police follow court orders and release such ‘seized’ vehicles within hours after registering drunken driving cases.
Many vehicle drivers, mostly owners, in Hyderabad commissionerate limits, allege that the traffic police also collect amounts in excess of the penalties imposed by courts.
For instance, one Savin was caught drunk driving in Marredpally traffic police limits a month back. Traffic police found alcohol content of 30 mg of 100 ML. They detained his vehicle and issued a challan.
"I appeared for counseling and asked the traffic police to release my vehicle as this was my first offence. But they refused and kept it in the police station for ten days. After I appeared before the court and paid the penalty of Rs 2000, my vehicle was released by traffic police, who, to my utter shock, ordered me to pay an additional Rs 3000 to a person in plain clothes," said Savin, who works for a private firm in the city.
DCP (traffic), Hyderabad -II, N Ashok Kumar said that they detain vehicles from drunk drivers based on breath analyser reports.
"We detain vehicles and keep them in police stations till the persons appear for counselling and court, which is as per the Motor Vehicle Act," Kumar said.
Meanwhile, traffic DCP of Medchal, under Cyberabad jurisdiction, D. V Srinivasa Rao said that they strictly comply with the High Court orders in releasing vehicles after they register drunk driving cases.
"As the driver/rider is in a drunken condition, we collect details of their family members or authorised persons and hand over the vehicles to them. In case no one comes forward to collect the vehicle, we ask the driver/rider to collect their vehicles the next day," he said.
The High Court had in 2021 passed an order stating that police have no powers to detain or seize vehicles on the ground that the person driving was in an intoxicated state.
