Anantapur: Owners of thousands of vehicles including high-end models seized during raids against red sanders smuggling by police and forest departments were not daring to claim ownership. The vehicles were lying unused at divisional forest offices of Rayalaseema region including Prakasam divisions.
Except a few vehicles being allotted to other departments, most of them are in a damaged condition to be disposed as scrap at the auction. Prolonged delay in the process of confiscation, most of the vehicles is treated as scrap though they were in perfectly fit conditions at time of raid.
Seshachalam forest was covered and connected with eight forest sub-divisions including access route for the red sanders smugglers. The police, forest and task force teams in the process of catching smugglers in and out of the forest seized a huge haul of vehicles like lorries, oil tankers, SUVs etc. Vehicles seized by the police department and task force were also handed over to forest department of respective sub-divisions during raids.
Soon after the seizure, the forest department would serve notices to the owners based on the vehicle number. The department would send about three to four notices to each owner and later the confiscation process would be finished. A minimum of six months period is needed for the confiscation procedures if no hurdle is reported.
The transport department was to submit valuation report of each vehicle and then the vehicles would be called for open action. Though, huge number of vehicles are with forest department an average of 30-50 vehicles are disposed through auction every year, sources said.
Tirupati DFO Subba Reddy observed that owners dare not claim ownership in most of the cases. About 750 vehicles are with Tirupati forest sub division and process of confiscation is on.
