In Brief
The Supreme Court set aside a Karnataka High Court judgment that had directed release of seized iron ore based on a final report accepted in a different criminal proceeding. The Court held that the acceptance of a final report in one case (SIT investigation) cannot serve as grounds for releasing property seized in a separate proceeding registered under the Forest Act. The seized iron ore must be dealt with through an appropriate application to the Jurisdictional Criminal Court where the applicant must establish both ownership and existence of the property. The appeal was allowed and the High Court order was overruled.
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