HYDERABAD: Justice NV Shravan Kumar of the Telangana High Court has dismissed a writ petition filed by Gundumalla Venkataiah, challenging the legality of a property freezing order issued under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
The court upheld the confirmatory order dated March 20, 2024, issued by the Competent Authority’s, validating an earlier freezing order passed by the Station House Officer of Shadnagar Police on February 20, 2024. Both orders were issued under Section 68F(2) of the NDPS Act, concerning the seizure of movable and immovable properties allegedly acquired through proceeds of drug trafficking.
Venkataiah sought to quash the freezing order, arguing it was arbitrary and unsupported by evidence. He claimed that no contraband was recovered from him or his premises and that freezing all his assets was unjustified while the investigation remained ongoing.
Senior counsel for the petitioner contended that FIRs registered in December 2023 at Shadnagar and Gachibowli police stations did not result in the recovery of Alprazolam from Venkataiah.
However, the police alleged his involvement in the illegal acquisition and intended purchase of large quantities of the substance.
After examining the records, Justice Shravan Kumar found that the authorities had followed due process, including issuing a notice under Section 68H and obtaining timely confirmation of the freezing order. The Court noted that Venkataiah failed to provide a satisfactory explanation or documentation for the sources of his income, including claimed agricultural earnings.