Diesel and furnace oil dealer faced confiscation for excess stock and missing papers
Supply officers checking a fuel dealership found extra diesel and furnace oil, no price-stock board, no furnace-oil licence and an un-updated stock register. The Collector confiscated Rs 84,875 of seized stock. The Gujarat High Court on 21 April 2026 dismissed the State's revision and left the acquittal and release of goods in place.
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 →The confiscation stands set aside and the seized goods were ordered to be released to the dealer.
What happened
The High Court recorded that during checking on 29/12/2007 the dealer was found with no price-stock display, 225 litres extra diesel and 8,150 litres extra furnace oil, no licence to sell furnace oil, an un-updated stock register and no purchase bills for the excess.
The High Court recorded that the Collector, Bhavnagar issued show-cause notice on 29/01/2008 and on 27.05.2008 ordered confiscation of 50% of the seized stock valued at Rs 84,875.
The High Court recorded that the Additional Sessions Judge, Bhavnagar allowed Criminal Appeal No.44/2008 on 04.10.2011 and quashed the confiscation for violation of natural justice and lack of measurement and cross-examination.
The High Court held that technical breaches without any allegation of black-marketing do not warrant seizure or confiscation, and dismissed the State revision as meritless.
What the record says
“Over and above the same, the failure to maintain a stock register or any other technical breach in absence of any allegations of black-marketing, does not warrant the seizure or confiscation of the goods.”
R/CR.RA/588/2011, para 13 — read the full text
A peaceful economic act
The punishment was for storing extra fuel, missing display board and missing licence, with the court noting no black-marketing, PDS diversion, adulteration or cheating was alleged.
What we could not confirm
Exact shop address within Bhavnagar district was not stated beyond Collector and Sessions Court jurisdiction.