Woman Alleges Gold Confiscated By Customs Without Furnishing Documents; Kerala HC Allows Instalment Relief
Women Claims Violation of Natural Justice; Court Permits Penalty Payment in Six Monthly Instalments
The Kerala High Court has allowed a Thrissur woman, Rasheeda Muthu Abdulrahiman, to remit a penalty of Rs. 2.7 lakh in six monthly instalments.
The bench of Justice Ziyad Rahman A.A. passed the order after the petitioner, initially seeking multiple remedies including the return of seized gold and quashing of the confiscation order, confined her plea to seeking an instalment facility to pay the penalty due to severe financial hardship.
The petitioner had accused customs officials of confiscating her gold ornaments without furnishing key documents, including the seizure mahazar and her Section 108 statement, essential for mounting a proper defence.
The gold seized in 2022 has reportedly already been sold by customs authorities in an auction, a fact that further intensified the petitioner’s grievance. She contended that the impugned order dated June 12, 2023, was passed without following due process, violating her right to a fair hearing.
While the High Court refrained from addressing the merits of the confiscation or the alleged denial of documents, it acknowledged the petitioner’s financial difficulties and granted her time-bound relief.
The court directed that the penalty amount be paid in six equal instalments of Rs.2,70,000 in six monthly instalments starting July 10, 2025, with subsequent payments due on the 10th of every following month. Any default will cancel the benefit and revive recovery proceedings.
Case Details
Case Title: Rasheeda Muthu Abdulrahiman Versus Joint Commissioner Of Customs
Case No.: WP(C) NO. 20549 OF 2025
Date: 10/06/2025
Counsel For Petitioner: Renjith B.Marar
Counsel For Respondent: Arun Kumar.P
Mariya is the Senior Editor at JurisHour. She has 5+ years of experience on covering tax litigation stories from the Supreme Court, High Courts and various tribunals including CESTAT, ITAT, NCLAT, NCLT, etc. Mariya graduated from MLSU Law College, Udaipur (Raj.) with B.A.LL.B. and also holds an LL.M. She started as a freelance tax reporter in the leading online legal news companies like LiveLaw & Taxscan.
