Diesel-delivery tankers seized for carrying fuel 'without proper invoices'; released only against Rs 32 lakh security
On 1 June 2025 a civil-supplies officer in Visakhapatnam stopped three tankers belonging to fuel transporters, including a doorstep diesel-delivery business, and seized them for carrying diesel 'without proper invoices'. The collector would release them only against bank guarantees totalling Rs 32 lakh while confiscation proceedings under the Essential Commodities Act ran. On 24 July 2025 the High Court let the owners give property security instead.
This page records what the cited court, tribunal and government records say happened. Findings belong to the court or authority that made them; this register adds none of its own. Names of private individuals are withheld unless a naming gate clears them.
How we verify →Vehicles released on property security from July 2025; confiscation proceedings under section 6-A pending.
What happened
The High Court recorded that on 1 June 2025 the Assistant Supply Officer and staff intercepted the vehicles and found they 'were transporting diesel unauthorizedly without proper invoices', seized them, and reported to the District Collector (Civil Supplies), Visakhapatnam, for proceedings under section 6-A of the Essential Commodities Act, which allows confiscation.
The collector ordered the vehicles released only if the owners furnished bank guarantees of Rs 12,00,000, Rs 10,00,000 and Rs 10,00,000. The owners, from Kakinada and Visakhapatnam districts, called this an onerous condition.
Justice T.C.D. Sekhar allowed the petition and directed release on third-party immovable property security for the same amounts, with an undertaking not to sell or alter the vehicles while the confiscation proceedings continue.
What the High Court recorded
“on 01.06.2025, Respondent No.3 along with staff intercepted the subject vehicles and found that the subject lorries were transporting diesel unauthorizedly without proper invoices, accordingly, the said lorries were seized.”
W.P. No. 19152 of 2025, judgment dated 24 July 2025, para 2 — read the full text
Fuel, paperwork and a price-control law
The Essential Commodities Act lets the state control how goods are stored, moved and sold. Here it was used to seize a fuel business's vehicles over invoices, with no allegation of adulteration, theft or harm to anyone.
What we could not confirm
This category is meant for hoarding, stock-limit and price cases. The more recent Andhra Pradesh Essential Commodities Act cases found in 2026 involved subsidised ration rice or cheating and were left out. The judgment does not say where exactly the vehicles were stopped or what the diesel was for.